Master Box 35187 Kawaii fashion leaders. Minami and Mai

The word "kawaii" in Japanese means "lovely", "cute" or "lovable." This term is also used to describe a trend in Japanese popular culture that emphasizes the need to create a world that is more charming, friendly, "lovable". It is assumed that the kawaii trend originated at the beginning of the 20th century, and the symbolic date of its creation is considered to be 1914, when a shop called Minatoya Ezoshiten was established in Tokyo, founded by the well-known illustrator Yumeji Takehis and selling items referred to as "kawaii ". Let us also add that this cultural trend was closely correlated with the process of shifting the age limit of the marriage of Japanese women towards further education after primary school, which began at the beginning of the 20th century. In contemporary Japan, the kawaii trend is easily noticeable in many everyday objects, but also in industrial design and city architecture. The effect of this trend is the creation of the famous mascot Hello Kitty. In the case of clothes ("kawaii fashion"), it is necessary to indicate the use of often very clear color tones with numerous shades of pink or red, and a general reference to the style of school uniforms used in Japan. Although seemingly infantile and childish, by many sociologists, kawaii "culture" is seen as a remedy for stress and work-related fatigue in young Japanese people.