Cute Is Cool
A few decades ago when life was simpler, the Japanese word kawaii (kah-wah-ee) was translated as “cute” or “pretty.” Now it means something much bigger.
For Japanese twenty-somethings, kawaii describes anything that’s beautiful, loveable, charming, cool, pop, or even weird—as long as it’s fashionable and worth having. Imagine the stuff of everyday life like jackets, cups, backpacks, lunchboxes, cellphone cases. Now re-imagine everything covered in tiny hearts, twinkling stars, paw prints, bows, and cherries. Life is better when daily survival gear comes in high-gloss pink.
Cuteness really resonates in Japan. It’s so accepted and so appealing that smiling plastic frogs redirect traffic at construction sites. Orange-and-white striped cones just can’t compete.
Recognizing the unbridled power of kawaii, Japanese companies have exported cute in a big way. Miss Kitty White had her international debut 40 years ago, and she’s showing no signs of slowing down. Last year, she earned $60 billion from branded merchandise and licensing agreements. This month she’s going on tour in L.A. with a retrospective at the Japanese American National Museum and an international convention. Visitors to the museum will have the chance to see artifacts from Sanrio’s archives and experience music, paintings, sculpture, and high fashion inspired by the bubble-headed kitten/girl.
Hello Kitty Is Not a Cat!
Retrospective for Kawaii Cat
Kawaii fashion has evolved in the frenetic incubator of downtown Tokyo. Many women take a straight-on frilly approach opting for lace, flowers, and bows. There are also adherents of “erotic-cute” and “grotesque-cute.” In fact, the two terms have become part of the Japanese lexicon. These style distinctions may seem like fluff to an outsider, but the unspoken rules of kawaii fashion are a serious matter, dissected and debated across multiple platforms and media channels from Instagram and NHK TV, to academic texts and eZines
Cute isn’t without its critics in Japan. They say the national obsession reinforces a sexist view of women as infantile and submissive. In response, defenders of cute have come up with interesting rationales. Some claim it’s an expression of national pride—a healthy response to the impossibly tall supermodels of the West. Others see the Cult of Cute as a form of spiritual practice. In their view, collecting cute things is an escape from the harsh realities of modern life.
Let me know your take on this psycho-spiritual analysis. Meanwhile, back to the clothes…
There are things I love about Japanese fashion and things I have never understood. On the love side, is the often unexpected color palette. When I went to Kyoto in the late 1980s, the color of the moment was chartreuse. I immediately embraced it then began monitoring its slow cross-cultural progress. It took exactly 2.25 years for the quirky shade of green to make its way across the Pacific and catch on in San Francisco.
A few years later, Oba-san began sending gifts to my newborn son. Boxes of baby clothes arrived in surprising shades of mauve, blueberry, orange, avocado, and brown. Clearly, the Japanese were thinking outside the box— or maybe they’ve been inside a different box all along.
On the don’t-understand-so-much side of Japanese fashion are the bleak oversized garments in black and white first made famous by the avant-garde designer, Yohji Yamamoto. His clothes had a minimalist ninja vibe. They were deconstructed and layered, with gaping tears and asymmetrical lines.
Out of curiosity, I recently checked out his Winter 2014 collection. It’s very different from what I remembered. In addition to his classic black on black, many pieces are blazing with bright colors, whimsical patterns, and yes— cuteness!
StoryKeeper 
Wow! This is a fascinating perspective on the Japanese fashion industry! And … I’ll say it again … you are a terrific writer :)!!
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The baby clothes’ palette might work really well for grown-up redheads. What do you think, Doreen?
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