So, what is kawaii all about? It is the idea of being cute in all respects – from pop culture to entertainment to clothes to accessories. Even the big businesses in Japan make use of the concept of kawaii. It is actually a bit hard to exactly explain it but let me give you examples, which will concretize the idea.

Wikipedia gives a very good list:

• Pikachu, a character from Pokemon, adorns the side of three All Nippon Airways passenger jets.
• Asahi Bank used Miffy (Nijntje), a character from a Dutch series of children’s picture books, on some of its ATM and credit cards.
• Monkichi, a cute monkey character, can be found on the packaging for a line of condoms.
• All 47 prefectures have cute mascot characters
• The Japan Post “YÅ«-Pack” mascot is a stylized mailbox.
• The Japan Post also uses other cute mascot characters, for example, on stamps.
• Some police forces in Japan have their own moe mascots, which sometimes adorn the front of koban (police boxes).
• Hello Kitty

They do have a propensity for mascots, don’t they? Anyhow, if you ask the Japanese what they think of kawaii, you might get various reactions. A good majority, however, will tell you that it stems from the inherent peaceful and calm nature of the Japanese culture. There are some skeptics, however, who think that it is a mentality that makes for non-assertiveness.

Whichever way they think, it cannot be denied that the concept of kawaii has spread to other countries and is in fact one of the most intriguing things about the Japanese culture.

Shiseido Co Ltd, Kao Corp, and Kose Corp – do these names sound familiar? At the very least, you probably recognize Shiseido, as it is a brand that is sold all over the world. These are the three biggest cosmetics company in Japan, and they are banking on really really expensive face creams to boost their businesses. Last year (or this year rather), they all launched their own versions of a face cream that is supposed to battle the effects of aging.

Guess how much it costs? How about 120,000 yen ($1,316)? Yup, women have to shell out that much money for each bottle of this cream; women who are 40 years old and above, that is. And this is what the companies are banking on. Their products, they say, are a hit with a certain age range, regardless of the social standing. True enough, their face creams are selling quite well despite the economic problems that the country is facing. They are also targeting women of the same age range from neighboring countries – and it seems to be working well for them.

How about you, would you spend that much on a bottle of anti-aging cream?

Dubbed the MP-704, these glasses are made of titanium, known to be ultra light and hypoallergenic. In fact, these kinds of rims have been in the market for many years now but ever since Sarah Palin came into the limelight, more people have become aware of them. As for Kawasaki, he is enjoying thousands of orders from all over the world because of the exposure that Palin brought to his product. If you are wondering if having Sarah Palin as a model is a good thing or not, take a look at these figures. Kawasaki says they normally make about 12,000 units of the MP-704 over an 18-month period. In the last 10 days, however, their orders have soared to 9,000 – with most of the customers coming from the United States!

Political beliefs not withstanding, I am tempted to find myself a pair of these glasses as well. They do look good and with the quality that they are supposed to have, it wouldn’t be such a bad buy.

I was watching the news yesterday and thoroughly getting depressed because of all the bad news the anchors were relaying. Fortunately, a light, lifestyle feature followed that lifted up my spirits and also showed how wacky the Japanese can get.

It’s the My Chopsticks bra that was created by Triumph Japan. The funny looking bra actually has sports cups that look like a bowl of rice (on one cup) and a bowl of miso soup (on the other cup). To top it off, the bra has side pouches where chopsticks can be kept. Call it a concept bra, if you will. The My Chopsticks bra really brings home the message that a woman’s breast can really provide nutrition and has a wonderful packaging.

Take for example the idea of Aya Tsukioka for urban camouflage. This camo is an answer to the rising incidence of street crime in Japan. Other people might think of personal security devices like mace, tasers, personal alarms or security cameras. But leave it to Tsukioka to think of a more innovative and definitely more outlandish answer to the problem. Tsukioka, who describes herself as an experimental clothing designer, designed a skirt where, if you lift up a flap, will transform the wearer into a soda vending machine. The illusion is believable enough.

She has designed a line of different products with the same “camo” dual feature, like a purse that becomes a manhole cover and bag that can become a fire hydrant. It would be cool to imagine a whole city that has assimilated Tsukioka’s designs. I can just picture men and women suddenly disappearing and turning into benches, trees or phone booths. It would be such an interesting city to live in!

For $800, you can bring the reality of a wearable vending machine home.

Louis Vuitton Malletier à Paris (LVMH), more commonly known simply as Louis Vuitton, opened its first store in Paris on Rue Nueve des Capucines way back in 1854. More than a hundred and fifty years later it is still very much famous with its leather goods considered as a status symbol all over the world.

When the first Vuitton store opened in Japan in 1978 they expected the product to take off but never anticipated as warm a welcome as they got. In fact by the 1980s Vuitton sales in Japan alone accounted for nearly half of the ENTIRE revenue of the company. To this day Loius Vuitton is more like a cult phenomenon among Japanese females instead of just a popular but passing trend. Sales in Japan stil account for an estimated 55% of all sales. According to Akira Miura, chief editor of a fashion paper in Japan, “Almost every grown-up Japanese woman already owns at least one Louis Vuitton item.” But even then people continue on buying more Vuitton items, after all a single Vuitton trunk in your closet looks incredibly lonely.

While it used to be white and black that were considered the base fashion colors, now it is gray that is emerging. As with everything related to fashion, base colors have undergone major changes throughout the decades. They have gone from blue to brown to beige then black. What exactly is a base color anyway? It is defined as the keynote color in a person’s outfit. This means that the base color is the predominant color in a material. There could be other colors on the cloth, of course, but the base color is what sets the tone or the mood of the outfit. The base color, as you may have noticed is usually more low key than bright flashy colors. However, they have a large impact on the overall look of the person wearing the outfit, whatever style it may be.

Fashion experts in Japan state that gray as the new base color is the sign that the casual look is on its way out. They claim that gray radiates innocence and refinement. As such, what we could expect to see this year in the streets of Japan are suits and uniforms in gray.

[tags]Japan, Japanese fashion, base colors, suits, uniforms[/tags]

Japanese schoolgirls in cute little skirts have always been a point of fascination for many Westerners. Things have stepped up a notch this spring as Japanese designers come out with a host of skirts for the season. The variations are astounding and would make a woman’s heart burst with happiness. From wild colors to a wide range of styles and cuts, there is a skirt to satisfy every whim and fancy. More than that, some of the skirts out can be worn in many ways – from the traditional skirt only ensemble to skirt over leggings or skinny jeans. So take off those heavy winter clothes and go get yourself a skirt or two!
[tags]Japan, clothes, fashion, spring, skirts[/tags]

This beauty sheet mask is sold by Lovelabo, a Japanese company specializing in beauty products. What they did was unprecedented – they combined their marketing strategy with that of a popular novel and its characters. Though quite new at the time that they conceptualized this strategy, they have been proven right in their choice. To date, the sales of this line of products have skyrocketed beyond the company’s original expectations.

Indeed, having an excellent line of skincare products packaged in such an unconventional manner is a great way to catch consumers’ attention. I wonder where I can get my hands on one?
[tags]Japan, fashion, skincare, anime, novels, marketing[/tags]

Harajuku mainly attracts the younger crowd who fill up the place, especially during the weekend. More often than not, you will also see large flocks of tourists frequenting the place. Different areas in Harajuku stand for different things. Fashion boutiques are best found in Laforet Harajuku while the hub of young designers is Ura Harajuku. Omotesando on the other hand is the place to go for the chic and sophisticated. Whatever your taste may be, you will surely find something to suit you in this fashionable place. At the very least, it will be a feast for your eyes.
[tags]Japan, tourist spots, shopping, fashion, Harajuku[/tags]