It was bad when she exploited an entire culture for use as a branding platform for her solo album. It was distasteful when she hired a gang of four Asian girls to be her mute, tag-along dolls which she paraded around like Paris’ Tinkerbell. The true crime committed by Gwen Stefani, however, is the narrow representation of Japanese style which she has fed into Western culture.
Okay, I’m exaggerating a little, but I know that I, in the past, have failed to acknowledge that Japanese people wear more than brightly coloured crinolines, Victoriana bustiers, and L.A.M.B. accessories. Moreover, I think it’s fair to say that we often overlook their inherent sophistication, in favour of the outrageous fashions we see on TV. From trench coats to layers of muted greys, blacks, and beiges, I don’t think any of these outfits would look out of place on the streets of New York, Paris, or even Toronto, for that matter. I appreciate their risks when it comes to volume and draping, and I think every hipster can thank the Japanese for bringing back the pigeon-toe look. For more looks, check out this wicked site www.fashionsnap.com!
As for Gwen, I think it’s safe to say that she has dropped the Harajuku thing (so 2005! Ughh!) and is now ripping the best of the 70s with her latest effort. In other words, can we expect “Kawaii” to become “Groovy”?
