Gothic Lolita (Japanese:ゴシック・アンド・ロリータ/ゴスロリ 哥特洛丽塔) is a fashion subculture that originated from theEuropeangoth subculture and is also a branch of the JapaneseLolita fashion. It was originally based on traditional European clothing and then adopted by the Japanese street culture in the 1980s. Gothic Lolita combines the loveliness of Lolita and the darkness and mystery of the gothic style and is renowned for its abundant use of black elements such as lace, ruffles, and straps.[1]
During the 1970s, the fashion trend ofkawaii spread across Japan, which pushed people to pursue nostalgia and childhood innocence. Therefore, under this business opportunity, a group of the most classic Lolita brands launched their products.[2] In the 1980s, the fans of some Japanese bands named trance gals and nagomu gals wore light make-up and black clothes with skull accessories or striped knee-high socks, ribbons, and gorgeous T-shirts.[1] They gradually incorporated elements of both styles into the sameoutfit, leading to a new trend in fashion combinations of sweet Lolita.
In the 1990s, with the promotion of bands likeMalice Mizer, the Lolita fashion became increasingly established within theHarajuku subculture. More and more brands began to emerge. A member of Malice Mizer,Mana, founded his own fashion brand Moi-même-Moitié, in 1999, thereby promoting this style. This brand remains a cornerstone of the gothic subculture to this day.[3] The name Moi-même-Moitié is formed by combining theFrench words "Moi-même" (meaning "myself") and "Moitié" (meaning "half"). The slogan of this brand is "Elegant Gothic Girl, Noble Vampire Romance", and it is known for its use of blue (Mana's favorite color), as well as black and white. In fact, there is even a specific term called "Moitié blue", which refers to the particular blue shade that the brand frequently uses.[4]