(※小声で読んでね。)
….原宿がださくなってきてる？？
だとしたら、このままではまずい。
1970sから原宿というエリアは、トレンドの中心地として、日本のファッションアイコンを発信し続け、ユニークファッションのベストショッピングスポットとして世界から注目されてきた。ロリータ、ゴス、デコラ、カワイイ、ヒップホップ、ネオ、オタク、ビンテージ、制服ガール…正真正銘のサブカルワンダーランドは、いろんなファッションが一緒に盛られたおいし〜いパフェのような夢の街だったはずだけど、よそ者がたくさん入ってきてバランスを失ったパフェは今溶け始めている…？
Could it be? Is Harajuku becoming …. *whispers* uncool?
Since the 1970s the area has been THE epicenter of new trends and fashion icons in Japan and undoubtedly boasts the most unique shopping anywhere in the world today. Lolita, goth, decora, kawaii, hiphop, neo, otaku, vintage and schoolgirl, it is a veritable wonderland of subculture and chaos all blended into one scrumptious parfait. But then gentrification happened, and that parfait is melting into an unfashionable mess.
Calling it uncool is really unfair to the long history the area has endured, as well as my own affinity and memories attached to it. But what is even more unfair is letting it go and handing it off to the highest bidder. I`m talking about chain stores and fast fashion and shopping mall developers and rude tourists. Harajuku has survived both in part to foreign investment (aka tourist shopping and global chain stores) but is also becoming gentrified because of it.
