Having been co-opted by Gwen Stefani as part of her capricious posse and perpetually attached to her hip, appearing in the background of many a Stefani sighting, numerous people are collectively scratching their heads as to the who, what and why of the Harajuku girls. And while one look at internet forums show a vast majority of posters having authenticity issues, charging Ms. Stefani guilty of blatant gimmickry and misrepresentation, one cannot help but hold a piqued curiosity about the ever-silent but always bombastically-dressed up girls in Stefani's world. <-xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"/->

They appear equally timid and ready-to-beat-you-up, their doll-like make-up reminiscent of geisha and their pastel legwarmers and mini-skirt school girl combos pander to the recent nostalgia-soaked 80s fashion revolution. Stefani plays head Harajuku leading the troupe of devoted followers at her beck and call, even christening each girl, 'Love' , 'Angel' , 'Music' and 'Baby' in homage to her own album and fashion label. These Harajuku girls blend in with the Stefani imagery, not appearing as individuals, but as a voiceless eccentric ensemble, which is only to be seen and not heard.   

In <-xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"/->Japan, Harajuku is Tokyo's hipster Mecca located just north of Shibuya, near the entrance of the Meiji Shrine and Yoyogi Park. Since the 70's, it has been THE place to see and be seen, especially on Sundays when the 6-day school grind (yes, the Japanese go to school six days a week) makes way for some truly uninhibited creative expressionism. There are no particular brands associated with Harajuku style (though Gwen's new design project, Harajuku-Lovers will be quick to change that) and the style is pretty much anything goes as long as it's outrageous, layered and eye-catching (though those pesky authenticophiles will have you adhering to certain colour-palettes and specific fashion genres). However the most popular trends in Harajuku amalgamate streams of gothic, lolita and punk attire, combining traditional Japanese costume with vintage couture for example, suggesting a darker, smouldering image opposing the baby-doll makeup and pastel garb of Stefani's tribe of giggling girls.

Takeshita Dori Street, the equivalent of London's Punk paradise, Kings Rd circa 1978, plays host to a myriad of stores catering to the creative needs of the Harajuku crowd and after a spot of shopping, Omotesando Dori Avenue is the place to go to catch street performers such as the Rockabilly Group, providing entertainment as well as taking quiffs to a whole new level. Upmarket stores and boutiques can be found in Aoyama, if the hardcore Harajuku style is a bit overwhelming and Laforet Harajuku shopping centre and museum provides cutting edge fashion from Japanese designers T. Kunitomo, Yuji Hasegawa and Pas de Calais all whom found inspiration from the Harajuku scene.

One look at the streets of the Harajuku district, and the differences between the style and attitude of these girls as opposed to Gwen's girls become glaringly clear. Far from being docile and submissive, the local Harajuku girl has enough sass to hold her own, whether in Tokyo, New York City or Sydney. She thrives on standing out rather than being part of the crowd and revels in the freedom to make a statement through her style be it experimenting with hair colours or expertly combining an assortment of clothes weeded out from disparate fashion fads (say thrift-store vintage with cyberpunk-) to formulate a coherent outfit.

Harajuku style stems from artistic liberation through the inspired and ingenious use of fashion, something which Stefani, when appropriating a cultural identity that was previously untapped, seems to have overlooked or underestimated. It may only be an unashamed marketing move (hey, it got me and my friends talking), but even those not familiar with Harajuku fashion could smell a rat. And it even seems the younger fans are choosing to avoid the natural inclination to adopt whatever trend is so hot right now, deeming Stefani's fashion choices a little too transparent to be reinterpreted into their own wardrobe (according to my friend's 12-year old sister's comprehensive report on teen fads). As MiHi Ahn in her article on the subject, Gwenihana asserts, she's taken Tokyo hipsters, sucked them dry of all their street cred, and turned them into China dolls.