22/07/2013

JAPAN EXPO 2013 - Part 2: HARAJUKU KAWAII!! IN PARIS

I am back with the second part of my adventures at JAPAN EXPO ! (1st part here)
Back in May the JAPAN FASHION DAYS, who is taking part of the fashion events at Japan Expo, announced that they were searching for models for the Harajuku Kawaii fashion show in Paris. When I saw it I though I should maybe give it a try. If you follow this blog or my tumblr, you know that I've always loved japanese fashion and i'm a big fan of the Harajuku Kei and all the models/brands/magazines, so I got really excited with the thought of getting part of this show !

But what is the Harajuku Kawaii fes ? I am shamefully going to quote myself and copy/past what I have wrote on my website:
 The HARAJUKU KAWAii!! FES is a big event in Japan involving the icons of the Harajuku-kei (Harajuku style), with harajuku icons like Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, the designer of 6%DOKIDOKI Sebastian Masuda, all the popular models and live music shows.

The event took place for the first time on july 2011, the festival immediately gained popularity and came back for a second time the same year at Osaka and Tokyo on december 2011 with a huge fashion show and live music showcases, with fans coming from all over Japan.

The HARAJUKU KAWAii!! FES 2012 moved to a bigger hall and took place at the Tokyo Big Sight. The event attracted more than 10,000 people over 2 days ! The festival also welcomed the artists SCANDAL, Shoko Nakagawa and Denpagumi.inc to perform live.

The HARAJUKU KAWAii!! FES 2012 was also held in Hiroshima, and for the first time outside Japan in Paris during JAPAN EXPO on july 2012, with a fashion show of popular Harajuku brands with harajuku models (Seto Ayumi, Una, Aoyagi Fumiko, Apochi) and also featured a live performance by the Harajuku fashion icon Kyary Pamyu Pamyu !

 This year, The HARAJUKU KAWAii!! FES 2013 will be held in Japan involving the whole Harajuku town on October 5 & 6 ! But the festival will first go worldwide this summer and have been held in Paris, and will also go to London and San Fransisco !

At the Paris show of last year with Kyary, I was in the audience and I loved everything of it, to think that i could be on the other side of the show this year really made me want to try ! So I sent my pictures and informations to the Japan Fashion Days and got selected to go the final casting in Paris !

They announced the day of the casting that they were going to pick 18 girls. All the girls were so pretty and nice, I honestly thought that my chances were very low but after a week they told me that I will be modeling for the Harajuku Kawaii fashion show !!!
I was so so happy ! Back then, I did not know yet which japanese artists was set to perform, and when I saw the names of the models and singers I was going to be with I got sooooo excited !

Una was set to perform for the first time ever her songs "Juicy Juicy" and "Lonely Flower", Dempagumi.inc and AKIRA was also on the line-up, and the models Seto Ayumi, Aoyagi Fumiko, Yura,  and Eva Cheung to walk with us !




On July 3rd, we had our first meeting with all the models, staff and designers, to try out what we had to wear. The japanese designers already knew what we'll be wearing only from the pictures they had of us. I think some of us were a bit worried of what we had to wear but in the end i think that everyone had very cool outfits and it fitted us very well. From tour pictures they managed to tell which girls could be rocking punk/rock outfits, or sweet lolita outfits or cute outfits etc.
This day was long but very fun ! Everyone was talking to each other, laughing and interacting with the japanese models. Seto Ayumi, Aoyagi Fumiko, Yura and Eva were all so nice and cute ! And even with the language barrier I didn't feel any strong awkwardness !


 The show was on july 6 ! We all have been told to be at the backstages before 9AM for the rehearsals ! Una, AKIRA, Dempagumi and some of the models had the time to rehearse their part of show with the staff, unfortunately we were running late and most of us, including me, did not had the time to rehearse our part because the stage was needed by other artists, making us a bit worried. But the japanese staff took the time to explain us what he had to do with a paper and a pen haha.

The Harajuku Kawaii show was at 5PM, there was two shows before us, a first fashion show of young designers and a big cosplay event. So we had the time to chat, eat then the make up and hair staff took care of us one by one ! We were so many people in such a small place but there was a good mood.


Seto Ayumi, Aoyagi Fumiko, Yura, Eva

One hour before the show, Sebastian Masuda, Chocomoo, the spinns director and designer, photographers, TV cameras, Dempagumi and Mabeshima joined us backstages !

with God Kyohei and Miho Imoda of spinns

The show was divided in parts: AKIRA opened the show and sang one of her song + a second one while the first group of models had to walk, they were wearing the brand Innocent World, so cute !


 Next was the spinns group !


Sebastian Masuda was the host of the show, the models and him talked a little to the audience then Dempagumi came to perform.


Next was the MILK & MILK BOY group ! (background music was "FLASHBACK" by capsule)


Followed by the group I was in, Harajuku Mix ! With brands like GLAD NEWS, NADIA, Hellcatpunks, Namaiki... (background music was "STARRY SKY" by capsule)


And that's me ! Allow me to post more pictures of myself Lol I was so stressed, 2 seconds before going on stage I was like omfg no i can't do it, then when i was on stage i was like omg this is so fun xD not sure if i did well but it was fun so i'm glad anyway !


To end the show, UNA performed her songs "JUICY JUICY" and "Lonely Flower" !



Final Walk ! We asked the audience to scream "HARAJUKU KAWAIIII" with us at the end.



At the end of the show we all took pictures together !


It was one of the most amazing experience in my short life, I made a lot of good memories and I am so glad I met so many amazing people and new friends ! Thank you and I love you all !!!


Fashion show pictures credit goes Nakana-Focus, David Vuong and Boblastic.
Backstages pictures credid goes to myself, the girls and staff so please do not use it without credit.

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