Cosplay in Japan

Cosplay

The word cosplay is a Japanese portmanteau of the English words ‘costume’ and ‘play’.

Cosplay sources include; manga and anime, comic books, cartoons, games and a range of films. Cosplay grew in the 1990’s, particularly in Asia which influences Japanese street fashion.

Cosplay in Japan

Increased interest in cosplay events in Japan lead to event such as Gomiket being set up. Events such as this, have led to a range of cosplay restaurants to be set up in the Akibara district since 1998. These restaurants are devoted to anime and manga, café’s such a maid café’s focus on the having the customers served by maid’s.

Harajuku is a favourite place for people to gather for cosplay in public. In Harajuku cospay influence fashion is popular, for example, different types of Lolita fashion. 

Japanese Fashion Designers: Junya Watanabe

Junya Watanabe

 Junya Watanabe was born in 1961 in Fukushima. He attended Bunka Fashion college, graduating in 1984. He is renowned for creating innovative and distinctive clothing. His designs reflect the princible of his mentor Kawabuko.

His style changes dramatically every season, by taking a stab at futuristic designs like wrapping neon punks or abstract oriental peasant wear on poetic stark white. He gives his clothes an unnusual look by adding random tucking, pleating or ruching.

In 1995 his collection was all boiled wool and black leather with tattoos on the models. He is very interested in synthetic and technological advanced textiles and fabrics like found in his 2001 spring/summer line.