COOLEST, TRENDIEST COOLEST STORES IN TOKYO, JAPAN. SHOPPING GUIDE: GOTHIC LOLITA PUNK, ALTERNATIVE WOMEN'S FASHION, JAPANESE DEPARTMENT STORES.

February 19, 2011 at 07:55 | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

† LA CARMINA †

La Carmina is a professional Japan / alternative / Goth fashion blogger, TV host, author of 3 books (Penguin USA and Random House), and journalist (CNN, Huffington Post). Her popular blog on Gothic Lolita Punk clothing, J-rock and Visual Kei – www.lacarmina.com/blog – has been featured in major publications (The New Yorker, Washington Post, WWD, Cosmopolitan, LA Times). Carmina runs a coolhunting / trend consulting / TV hosting and fixing company: La Carmina & The Pirates.

La Carmina is a featured writer for Huffington Post Travel and Style. She’s the author of 3 books — including Cute Yummy Time (Penguin) and Crazy, Wacky Theme Restaurants: Tokyo (Random House). She is a graduate of Columbia University and Yale Law School.

She has appeared on The Today Show and co-hosted an episode of Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern for Travel Channel, which airs in 75 countries. NHK Japan filmed a documentary about her work; recent TV hosting and arranging credits include Dutch Pepsi, Sony Australia, Canal Plus France, Norway TV, and CNN International in Tokyo. Click for Carmina’s TV reels and full biography.

† Follow La Carmina’s “glam Goth” adventures on her fashion blog
† EMAIL: gothiccarmina (at) gmail † TWITTER † YOUTUBE † FACEBOOK

In 2010, La Carmina co-hosted the Canal Plus France documentary, Toque de Tokyo, with Antoine de Caunes. She was Antoine’s guide to Tokyo theme restaurants and crazy subcultures in the 90-minute TV special. It was a big hit with viewers, and got the largest audience of Antoine’s travel documentaries to date.

La Carmina took Antoine to an ear cleaning parlor, theme cafes (babies, cats, maids), and two wild Goth cyber fetish clubs. To see video clips of the crazy TV show, as well as behind-the-scenes photos, visit her blog.

La Carmina shares her favorite trendy clothing shops in Tokyo, Japan with us…

“Harajuku is my favorite place in Tokyo to shop. Here, you’ll find the most exciting Goth Lolita Punk / Visual Kei / Cyber Rave fashion in the world. While Harajuku has gotten more commercial lately, there are still independent little stores, such as the Yellow House boutique that has been run by an old lady for over 20 years. Or Takuya Angel’s little shop of Cyber Rave handmade fashion. The basement of Laforet Department Store has some of my favorite brands, including Alice & the Pirates, Atelier Pierrot, Putumayo and h.NAOTO.”

“Shinjuku’s Marui One department store is a mecca of Gothic Lolita clothing, especially the incredible alternative shoe selection on the fifth floor! Okadaya has glittery fabrics, feathers and eyelashes. If I could only visit one store, it would be Closet Child, which stocks Japanese alternative brand clothing — all secondhand and very well priced. There are locations in Shinjuku, Harajuku and Ikebukuro.”

For maps, directions, photos, and reports of ALL the trendiest alternative clothing shops in Tokyo, visit La Carmina’s big Goth Lolita Punk store guide.

Osaka’s trendiest underground clothing stores (photos, maps and more) are in her Osaka shopping guide.

She describes the best Goth Industrial EBM Fetish parties in Tokyo in her Nightlife Guide.

Want more glamorous J-Goth adventures from La Carmina? Visit her popular blog, which is updated daily.

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