01. The Fabric Of Film - Escapism through Fashion in Ai Yazawa’s 'Paradise Kiss'
"Beyond the noise of the world there’s a stairway leading to the basement of a fantastic world."
Yukari, Paradise Kiss/Paradaisu Kisu (Ai Yazawa, 2005)
Paradise Kiss is an intoxicating glimpse into every adolescent’s dream; it encapsulates the secret thoughts they have alone in their room, staring into the mirror, desires they do not dare utter out loud for fear of being heard. As they choose their clothes, put on their makeup and ready themselves for the mundanity of daily life, their subconscious quietly murmurs a daydream of another world in which each day is different from the next, full of possibility. In Paradise Kiss Yukari (Yu Yamada) lives out this dream for them, pulled from ordinary teenage life into a reality adorned in silk, beads and roses.
Yukari’s serendipitous meeting with the members of a fashion school in Tokyo sweeps her from the suffocating grasp of academia and sends her hurtling towards a career in modelling surrounded by the enigmatic ParaKiss clothing group - a far cry from the grey pinafores of her private school. As her integration with the group becomes increasingly permanent her once cynical outlook on fashion, and the study of fashion, is shattered and consequently it begins to almost insidiously pervade every aspect of her life. As she forms a relationship with Joji (Kenji Hamada), the designer behind the ParaKiss label, she all at once becomes his muse and lover making Yukari inextricable from the world of fashion she was once so distant from. Joji’s artistic vision is sculpted around the aura of Yukari - this serves both as a force that brings them closer and drives them apart. In this respect Yazawa rarely fails to match her romanticism of fashion with realism - the fluctuation of Joji and Yukari’s relationship parallels the beauty and gruel of the process they take in making the final dress for the ParaKiss group project.
The magnetism of the show is rooted in fashion - it emanates from each shot regardless of whether the scene itself is inherently about fashion, love, hate or identity. When Yukari and Joji have their first interaction, the background fades away and is replaced with a lace pattern - from this point onwards lace is no longer a piece of fashion medium but is rather a signifier of raw emotion. Paradise Kiss is in this way not only a show about fashion, but is instead a show that is fashion in its ontology. Fashion is depicted as being equal parts about what is beautiful as it is about self-realisation, a notion that has only become more relevant since the birth of the show and manga.
Although not one of the two protagonists, Miwako’s (Marika Matsumo) style is perhaps the most significant in terms of her perspective on her own value according to her relationship with fashion. In Yazawa’s previous work, Neighbourhood Story/ Gokinjo Monotogari (Ai Yazawa, 1995-97), she follows the story of Miwako’s older sister Mikako and the formation of her clothing brand Happy Berry. Throughout the narrative Yazawa depicts the clothing that Mikako designs, simulating a sense of brand identity although the label in reality does not exist. The puffy sleeves, frills, short skirts and knee highs are a familiar silhouette on Miwako to fans of Yazawa’s work as they have previously been seen on Mikako, and through this Yazawa continues to blur the lines between real brand identity and her creative vision.
In light of this Miwako’s outfits arguably feel the most intentional of the characters - even when she is depicted relaxing at home her pyjamas are undeniably that of Happy Berry. Despite her undeniable personal style, Miwako declares that she has no originality unlike her sister, diminishing her personal value due to her inability to possess the same creativity as Mikako. However I find that Miwako’s accessories, ever-changing hair and identifiable style were just as fundamental to Happy Berry’s brand image than Mikako’s ability to design her clothing. Miwako’s personal style is an ode to the significance of the wearer in the chain of the fashion industry, acknowledging their significance in the formation of brand identity.
Much like Miwako, Isabella’s (Chiharu Suzuka) style largely remains on the periphery of the main action of the show. However her decadent outfits serve as more than a personal expression and rather as pieces of her life story both as a fashion student and as a transgender woman. Isabella recalls her childhood before her transition, in particular the day on which Joji tailor-made her first dress. The reception of the dress coincides with the birth of Isabella’s relationship with fashion and her kinship with Joji; Isabella is never seen without her violet locks and flower around her eye of the same hue that coloured her first dress. The flower around her eye perhaps somewhat serves as a reminder to see the world through the lens of when she first received and wore that violet dress. Fashion for Isabella is not the same as it is for Yukari, Miwako or even Joji - her style signifies the strength of her own character and pride in her identity.
The twelve episodes of Paradise Kiss for me are like a capsule to return to on a quiet and uninspired afternoon, a brief but all-consuming foray into a land of exquisite clothing and drama. To experience it is like drowning in the highs and lows of the characters’ lives, only to be brought up for air with a buoy made of tartan three-pieces and pearls. Yazawa’s fashion and narrative genius know no bounds and Paradise Kiss is no exception.
Written by Maaya Karuppiah, Column Writer
Edited by Daisy Packwood, Fashion Editor
