One of the things that interested me most was the “borrowing” of other cultural styles in Harajuku street culture. Many styles mentioned include the use of things such as American toy and military wear. More controversially, some Harajuku trends aim to appropriate cultures associated with specific ethnic groups, such as hip-hop or Cholo style. Because these styles were originally born out of a specific cultural setting and associated with the struggle of their respective ethnic groups, the adoption of these styles could be seen as inappropriate or at least shallow. The article also makes a point to recognize the natural impulse to label the fascination with Western products as a form of imperialism, but challenges that by noting that most Japanese youth wearing such items are not doing so to connect with the meaning that the items carry in the united states. For example, those wearing military items do not do so to express an appreciation for military endeavors. Many who experiment with Japanese streetwear styles do so to challenge Japanese traditions, so the use of Western and other foreign items could just be a tool address issues in Japan itself, not to attempt to distance oneself from their own culture.

https://www-bloomsburyfashioncentral-com.cmu.idm.oclc.org/products/berg-fashion-library/encyclopedia/berg-encyclopedia-of-world-dress-and-fashion-east-asia/street-and-youth-fashion-in-japan#b-9781847888556-bibl663001

One garment I really love is the “wet dress” Kim Kardashian wore to the 2019 Met Gala. The dress was designed by French fashion designer Thierry Mugler who came out of a 20-year retirement to create the piece. The dress is made out of latex and clear beads, and took eight months to create.

I love this piece because every aspect of the designed works together perfectly to communicate the central concept: stepping out of the ocean dripping wet. I find it fantastic how the designer used latex to simulate the look of wet cloth. The bunching of the material, the sequins, and of course the hanging beads all come together to communicate wetness without any water at all. This piece inspires me to think about how materials can be used in different ways in order to subvert our expectations of the material and even create illusions.