“It’s about being feminine and lovely and taking tea.” “It’s almost like they’re trying to transform themselves into living dolls,” explains Tiffany Godoy, co-author of “Japanese Goth” (Universe), a new book on the phenomenon. Its origins are more rooted in Harajuku culture - “and the importance of kawaii, of cuteness, in Japan’s popular culture,” says Steele - and champions the covered-up, modest feel of the Victorian age. And while the term Lolita may tip its frilly bonnet to Nabokov’s girl, no devotee worth her weight in mary janes would acknowledge a sexual undertone to the style. Think petticoats, parasols, ribbons and ruffles - cast in black. She’s a different beast altogether from the Western Goth gal here rather, the GothLoli - or Loli-Goth - is a wonderfully perverse cocktail of “Alice in Wonderland” meets Wednesday Addams. Steele is talking about Japan’s prominent Goth figure, the Gothic Lolita, who’s getting the spotlight treatment of late. I think there’s been a growing interest, like, ‘Why aren’t we doing more with this?’ And, I think, the Japanese take has refreshed it.” “Everybody’s been pillaging, say, punk or hip-hop for years this is still relatively fresh. “Goth has still been relatively underexploited,” says Valerie Steele, director and chief curator of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, who curated the museum’s “Gothic: Dark Glamour” show earlier this year and is planning a Japanese fashion exhibit for 2010. That’s when Emily the Strange, the cartoon poster child for grim types, is slated to get the big-screen treatment. (Fan alert: Season two premieres June 14.) And 2010 sees no dip in popularity for the morbidly inclined, even for the PG set. Or HBO’s “True Blood,” which gave actress Anna Paquin her first Golden Globe for her turn as Sookie Stackhouse, the undead-loving waitress.
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Nobody needs to point out the phenomenal success of Stephenie Meyer’s vampire-themed “Twilight” series - the film based on the first book grossed $35.7 million on its opening day last November, with the sequel out later this year. Goth has been around for decades, having spun out of the punk movement in the Seventies and reaching a high in the Nineties with Marilyn Manson and movies such as “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” and “Interview with the Vampire.” But that macabre vibe is gaining traction once again, and not just in fashion circles. This person is so depressed.’ Now they think it’s cool and relevant.” “That’s why there’s room for us to do something like this and not have people think, ‘This is so weird,’ and roll their eyes, like, ‘Oh, Goth. “When you have houses like Givenchy doing something like that, it makes it more mainstream,” remarks Alexander, who, one may be surprised to learn, cofounded the California basics line LnA in 2007. The line features loads of velvet, silk and black lace, natch. It launched in March with a presentation at the Chateau Marmont on, of all days, Friday the 13th. Consider the fall launch of the L.A.-based contemporary label Witches, by Lauren Alexander and Gabby Applegate, which is geared towards “Goth, grunge and Victorian dressing,” according to the designers. But the look resonates at all price points. This fall, there was no shortage of dark glamour on the runways, from Rodarte, where Kate and Laura Mulleavy sliced and spliced their way through a Frankenstein-inspired lineup, to that of eternal Goth guy Riccardo Tisci, who’s managed to transform Givenchy into a fetishistic, Edward Gorey wonderland.