Tokyo. The neon metropolis of sound, motion and culture has long held the gaze of fashion devotees around the world. But behind the fits, who are the personalities that inhabit this city and what makes their experiences so unique? GATA journeyed into the backstreets of Shibuya to capture some of the most stylish women in Japan’s capital, a beguiling mix of students, writers, DJs, and artists, to chat fears, dreams and the hard lessons of life.

AYANA

WHAT DO YOU DO? Hairdresser, DJ and makeup artist.

WHAT PART OF YOUR IDENTITY DO YOU THINK PEOPLE MISUNDERSTAND THE MOST?

I’m shy, so people often think I’m cool or distant at first glance.

WHAT’S A SONG THAT FEELS LIKE YOU?

Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18

KOU U

WHERE ARE YOU FROM ORIGINALLY? A great great womb, I guess.

WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO TOKYO, AND WHAT KEEPS YOU HERE? I came here thanks to my parents’ wallet, but Tokyo’s diversity, openness, and all the bakeries have won me over.

WHAT’S ONE QUESTION YOU WISH SOMEONE WOULD ASK YOU? “What’s your name?” Because that’s how every story begins.

AIRI

WHAT DO YOU DO? I’m a student, working at Pat Market, and also I belong to the GB Mouth Team.

WHAT’S A TRUTH THAT YOU HAVE LEARNED THE HARD WAY? Even if there’s love, no one can understand me 100%, and I can’t fully understand anyone else either.

WHAT’S ONE QUESTION YOU WISH SOMEONE WOULD ASK YOU? About the projects I want to work on and the things I want to do from now on. I love seeing the sparkle in people’s eyes when they talk about their dreams. I hope my eyes shine like that too.

LUNA

WHAT DO YOU DO? I work for GATA Magazine and I write a lot on my own. I’m also a talent manager for a German agency, and I’m active in film, theatre, and jewellery design.

WHAT’S A LATE NIGHT HABIT YOU HAVE IN THIS CITY? Visiting Yoyogi Hachimangū Shrine and petting frogs.

WHAT’S A TRUTH YOU’VE LEARNED THE HARD WAY? You’ve gotta piss in your corner until it stinks.

SEUNGHEE

WHAT DOES TOKYO GIVE YOU THAT NO OTHER CITY CAN?

Peace and party at the same time. Tokyo is like a simulation almost; so many different worlds packed it one. You turn a corner and it’s a whole new world.

WHAT’S YOUR BIGGEST FEAR RIGHT NOW?

Death with regrets. Leaving without knowing I chased the things I wanted.

WHAT’S A TOXIC TRAIT YOU’RE AWARE OF BUT SECRETLY KEEP?

Perfectionism, but it’s not a secret.

KWII

WHAT DOES TOKYO GIVE YOU THAT NO OTHER CITY CAN? Its culture, its spirit, and honestly… its pain. But that mix is what keeps me alive.

DO YOU THINK YOUR BACKGROUND INFLUENCES THE WAY YOU DRESS OR EXPRESS YOURSELF? The things I’ve been through, including the traumas, shape the way I dress. Also the way I express myself is also the way how I feel about fashion: no limits. You can dress however you want. Don’t give a fuck about people’s comments. Fuck the noise. Just be whoever you want to be.

WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID TO ADMIT YOU WANT? Toxic love.

EVA

WHAT DO YOU DO? Jewellery design, modelling and visual arts.

WHAT’S A TRUTH THAT YOU HAVE LEARNED THE HARD WAY? We often unconsciously seek out what’s familiar to us, even if it brings pain, rather than true happiness.

WHAT’S THE MOST REBELLIOUS THING YOU’VE DONE IN THE LAST YEAR? Finding joy in my failures and sufferings.

HARUKA

WHAT DO YOU DO? I work in fashion. I do a bit of everything: buying, PR, planning, and more. Since a lot of my “fun” ends up connecting to my work, my hobbies might actually be part of my job too. Haha.

WHAT’S A TOXIC TRAIT YOU’RE AWARE OF BUT SECRETLY KEEP? Maybe the fact that I say whatever’s on my mind… But honestly, not saying it would stress me out.

WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID TO ADMIT YOU WANT? I don’t take it too seriously, but I guess it’s a loyal kind of love. Haha.

SHINO

WHAT DO YOU DO? I’m a model. Also an idol. Sometimes DJ.

WHAT PART OF YOUR IDENTITY DO YOU THINK PEOPLE MISUNDERSTAND THE MOST? I think people judge me as a cold person because I’m really shy. But I’m totally different. My communication skills are one the biggest parts of my identity.

WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID TO ADMIT YOU WANT? Nothing.

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: JAMES ELLIOTT
PHOTOGRAPHER: NIU NIU
EDITOR: LUNA ROHMANN

Follow GATA Magazine