T-Shirt thumbnail 1
Not on display

T-Shirt

2005-2011 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Lolita fashion emerged during the 1990s as a radical form of street style born out of the Japanese taste for Hello Kitty cuteness. Whether dressed in pink, powder blue, red, white or black, Lolitas are immediately recognisable by their doll-like make-up, frilly skirts, fanciful headgear, ribbons and lace. A striking feature of Lolita fashion is the extent to which it is influenced by British culture: Alice in Wonderland, Glam Rock, the New Romantics, Gothic, Punk and Vivienne Westwood. Although the attitude and aggression of Punk and Gothic have no place in the world of the Lolita, the movement represents a similarly powerful rebellion against the conventions of contemporary society. The first three sections of the display are devoted to Sweet, Gothic and Punk Lolita. The final section, Japanese Lolita, shows how a fascination with the exotic and alternative has resulted in the reappropriation and sometimes extreme recasting of traditional modes of Japanese dress.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Rayon and polyester, printed
Brief description
T-shirt, rayon and polyester, designed by Mint Neko, Japan, 2005-2011
Physical description
T-shirt of rayon and polyester, black with white printed cat design.
Dimensions
  • Length: 78cm
  • Width: 43cm
  • Sleeves length: 17cm
  • Sleeves width: 14cm
Gallery label
(11/12/2012)
This unisex outfit is a compelling example of 21st-century sartorial hybridisation. It combines a Westwood-inspired tartan top, an Asian layered-skirt bottom and the whacky cat of the MINT Neko label. Sixh. And MINT Neko are two brands owned by the KINCS clothing group. The company owes its runaway success largely to the Punk, Gothic and Visual Kei designer, Naoto Hirooka, who joined the company in 1999.
Object history
This item is part of the "Punk Lolita" outfits on display from 23 April 2012 to January 2013 in the "Kitty and the Bulldog Lolita fashion and the influence of Britain" exhibition at the V&A. Part of the V&A British Design Season.
Subject depicted
Association
Summary
Lolita fashion emerged during the 1990s as a radical form of street style born out of the Japanese taste for Hello Kitty cuteness. Whether dressed in pink, powder blue, red, white or black, Lolitas are immediately recognisable by their doll-like make-up, frilly skirts, fanciful headgear, ribbons and lace. A striking feature of Lolita fashion is the extent to which it is influenced by British culture: Alice in Wonderland, Glam Rock, the New Romantics, Gothic, Punk and Vivienne Westwood. Although the attitude and aggression of Punk and Gothic have no place in the world of the Lolita, the movement represents a similarly powerful rebellion against the conventions of contemporary society. The first three sections of the display are devoted to Sweet, Gothic and Punk Lolita. The final section, Japanese Lolita, shows how a fascination with the exotic and alternative has resulted in the reappropriation and sometimes extreme recasting of traditional modes of Japanese dress.
Collection
Accession number
FE.270-2011

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Record createdNovember 4, 2011
Record URL
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