Harajuku Lover? Or Exploiter?: Authenticity of GothicLolitaware-lite

“Love the culture? Write a song about it. Then, use it to sell a handbag. “
Susan Scafidi’s summary of Gwen Stefani’s post-No Doubt career at Counterfeit Chic is incisive precisely because the lack of originality shown. Gwen’s co-optation (or misappropriation) of Japanese style, specifically the street styles of the Harajuku district of Tokyo, may be [...]