“HELLO KITTY”
Ryan LO’s 10th season once again sees him sifting through his memories of growing up in Hong Kong and this time, it’s the seminal Japanese publication Fruits and its colourful and idiosyncratic subjects that sees his bishoujo venturing adrift in Tokyo. As the magazine ceases publication, LO pays homage to its influential photographs of ganguro and decora girls of Harajuku. Closely linked to that specific street style Sub-Culture is the Mihona Fujii manga Gals!, which centres around Ran – the coolest gal who rules the streets of Shibuya, much like LO’s newly superfly girl this season. Thai photographer Chardchakaj Waikawee’s captures of street teenagers in Bangkok in their bootleg branded clothes also finds their way into this hybridised character.Skater girl? Rapper’s female posse? Ska lead singer? It’s all blurred through LO’s teenage Japanophilia.
The hyper brand worshipping of the mid nineties to early millennium of labels such as X-Girl, Super Lovers and Bape from LO’s youth also crop up. The way that these streetwear-lite brands filtered Americana through a Japanese kawaii eye, leads to LO’s signature ruffled and tiered organza and tulle dresses being rendered in a myriad of camouflage, stars and polka dot prints, in a so-wrong-it’s-right virulently bright palette. LO’s sassy gal gets a winter uniform of shaggy shearling jackets in candy floss pinks and bright reds with matching combat pocketed trousers.
Say “Cho kawaii” to the debut of Ryan LO’s collaboration with Sanrio Hello Kitty in a series of prints that sees this iconic cutie cycling her way across a background of Hawaiian lei and more cartoonish camouflage in colours that a ganguro queen would approve of.
Stephen Jones has once again collaborated with LO to create the OTT skater bucket headgear in hot pink and camo shearling, pimped up with giant pearls and plastic fantastic neon chains.
Words by Susie Lau @ Susie Bubble
Styling: Victoria Young/ Makeup: Isamaya Ffrench/ Hair: Sam McKnight/ Nails: Marian Newman/ Casting: Shelley Durkan/ Set Designer: Miguel Bento/ Millinery: Stephen Jones/ Footwear Illustrations: James Davison/ Special Thanks to Sanrio