On February 11th, the Global Fashion Collective featured designs from Baby, The Stars Shine Bright, a Japanese clothing brand created by Akinori Isobe and Fumiyo in 1988.
Baby, The Stars Shine Bright was one of the early purveyors of Loilta fashion, a style popular in Japan that draws inspiration from the Victorian and Rococo era. It’s important to note that the Western connotation of “Lolita” is quite different from Lolita in the context of Lolita fashion. In the years since Vladmir Nabokov’s controversial novel Lolita was published in 1955, the term Lolita has developed an increasingly negative connotation in the Western world due to the novel and subsequent film adaptations’ strong associations with pedophilia, sexual abuse, grooming, and rape. However, the term “Lolita” in Japan is more closely associated with youth, femininity, and innocence rather than sexual attractiveness. Some Lolitas in Japan view the youth of Lolita fashion as an expression of protest against the responsibilities of traditional gender roles.
This collection was inspired by Usakumya-chan, the brand’s teddy bear mascot. Each dress was incredibly intricately detailed, and featured voluptuous, structured skirts. Most dresses were mini dresses and paired with thigh high socks in striped or whimsical matching patterns
Many featured layers of lace ruffles that evoked the idea of an intricately piped cake.
The callback to Alice in Wonderland, a very common Lolita inspiration, was very clear in multiple signature pastel blue dresses. Several dresses also appeared to draw inspiration from the Queen of hearts, featuring deep red hues and heart embellishments framed in lace.
The overall runway also evoked a bridal motif, adorned with chiffon, pastel roses, and flower petals. Some of the dresses were all white and constructed with variations of silk and lace, but overall evoked more of flower girl than bride due to the A-Line and babydoll silhouettes.
Usakumya-chan also featured prominently, as many models walked the runway holding the fluffy white bear-in-rabbit-ears. Some dresses were paired with rabbit ear accessories, bonnets, or crowns.
Baby, The Stars Shine Bright’s NYFW showcase also attracted dedicated Lolitas, as many attendees wore outfits inspired by the brand. The show was a fascinating look at Lolita fashion and offered a rare insight into the brand’s trajectory and influence in Japan.