Harinder's blogs: Exploitation or Adaptation ?

When you think of Gwen Stefani what comes to mind? The famous blonde singer, with the four Harajuku girls. Love, Angel, Music and Baby (L.A.M.B) are the names of the Harajuku Girls, part of Gwen Stefani’s entourage. Harajuku is a place in Tokyo known for its style and fashion for Japanese Youth’s. The word “Harajuku” is used to describe the feminine and elegant style of young people dressed in any fashion style, including characters from an anime, movie, cosplay, babies, dolls and goth.

To me personally, the Harajuku Girls that accompany Gwen Stefani seem that they aren’t allowed to have an identity and speak in public. What I don’t understand is that how these girls can put up with not being able to speak to the public or media. It is like they are just “THERE,” like remote controlled dolls. However, the other side to it is that it could be because Gwen just loves Harajuku fashion and wants to make a statement about it that includes her.

Harajuku is also the place for young Japanese people to show their dance and passion. There is no place like Harajuku but in Tokyo. In the song Rich girl by Gwen Stefani, she says “I’d get me four Harajuku girls, inspire me and they’d come to my rescue, I’d dress them wicked, I’d give them names, Love, Angel, Music, Baby, hurry up and come save me” What is she trying to say?

Below is a picture of what Harajuku girls look like in Tokyo

Isn’t that different from what Gwen has been portraying? Yes it sure is. She shows the Harajuku girls as wonderful, colorful, happy, cute, dollish, giggly manikins that MOVE but don’t talk. Is Gwen adapting Japanese culture to fit into North American popular culture, or is she exploiting these girls for her own commercial gain?

Personally I think Gwen is exploiting these girls for her own commercial gain. Let’s be real, why would a famous artist hire four Harajuku girls to follow her around and be in her videos? I think she treats them like puppets, and I’m sure you all agree. They don’t even dress like the REAL Harajuku girls; they dress the way Gwen wants them to. In various You Tube videos they all say how happy they are to work and be with Gwen Stefani. The feeling that I got while watching the videos was that the “Harajuku” girls look upon Gwen as an older sister or a role model. In the picture below if I was to judge it not knowing who they are I would say that the four Asian looking girls are idolizing the actual blond woman.

ALSO

Gwen has clothing line called L.A.M.B (Love, Angel, Music, Baby). The clothes that are sold don’t EXACTLY look like the Harajuku style. Below is a picture of a dress from L.A.M.B.

www.l-a-m-b.com