“I’m the first living doll fashion model.“
Doll model Lulu Hashimoto/橋本ルル brings a fresh face to the Harajuku-kei scene. Lulu made her modeling debut in July 2016 and she continues to grow in popularity. Her birth was brought forth by a collaboration of three creative individuals: producer and fashion designer millna, mask maker Nukopan, and stocking designer Ueno Koh(tableau).
Kigurumi is an art form where the performer wears a face mask and body suit. The exact origin of kigurumi is unknown, but the wearers of anime-style masks, also known as dollers, became a niche population in the Japanese cosplay scene. Lulu is the first of her kind to be a fashion model. She looks exactly like a ball-jointed doll, but she’s alive!
Located in Harajuku, Lulu can be seen sporting a variety of girlish styles including such as classical styles to more modern styles seen in KERA and Larme. She’s made appearances at several brand shop events including Hakuchum Tokyo, Pays des Fees, Dangerous Nude, and Ozz On.
Because she is a doll, her eyes, hair, and even height can be customized. Lulu is actually more than one person, hence the availability of height customization, but they are all Lulu as well. Booking information is available on her website, both in Japanese and English. She even welcomes modeling for brands outside of Japan.
When I first laid eyes on pictures of Lulu on the Dangerous Nude Twitter, I thought she was just a really fancy mannequin, but I was definitely wrong; she moves! I’ve seen anime face kigurumi before, but the BJD kigurumi is definitely more pleasing to look at. She definitely adds a new interpretation for the term “living doll. She may be the beginning of a wave of doll models. ” How do you feel about Lulu? Creepy? Cute? You may be able to catch her next time you visit Tokyo if you’re lucky.
To learn more about the creative process behind the creation of Lulu Hashimoto, read Moshi Moshi Nippon’s interview with her producer millna: MOSHI MOSHI INTERVIEW: Chatting With the Producer of the Very First “Doll” Fashion Model, Lulu Hashimoto.
Lulu Hashimoto: OHP | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Facebook
