CALLING THEMSELVES the 'rainbow squad', this group of colourful individuals in Paris became friends after sharing the same passion for the Japanese alternative fashion. Coco, one member of the rainbow squad, said: "Wearing decora fashion makes me express that weirdness that's inside of me." Covered in bright and shiny accessories from head to toe, they certainly turn heads and catch everyone's attention wherever they go. But the attention isn't always pleasant - the group said that people often take photos of them without asking for permission or get defensive if they refuse to be photographed. Qween Emi said some of the judgement she has received comes from her own community, with people accusing her of 'acting white' and 'not being a real black person'. "I think most of the time it is racism, the problem with me," she added. Although their fashion isn't appreciated by everyone, the group is proud of being their authentic selves. "We just embrace our weirdness and our creativity. It's not cultural appropriation, no."
Follow Asbel: https://www.instagram.com/asbel.lab/
Follow Qween Emi: https://www.instagram.com/qween.emi
Follow Coco: https://www.instagram.com/cocoslo_whiterabbit/
Follow Rehab: https://www.instagram.com/notmith/
Follow Elsa: https://www.instagram.com/elsaazulejos/
With thanks to Princess Crepe: https://www.instagram.com/princesscrepe.fr/
Follow Asbel: https://www.instagram.com/asbel.lab/
Follow Qween Emi: https://www.instagram.com/qween.emi
Follow Coco: https://www.instagram.com/cocoslo_whiterabbit/
Follow Rehab: https://www.instagram.com/notmith/
Follow Elsa: https://www.instagram.com/elsaazulejos/
With thanks to Princess Crepe: https://www.instagram.com/princesscrepe.fr/
Category
😹
FunTranscript
00:00 Wearing the current fashion makes me express that weirdness that's inside of me.
00:04 Harajuku subculture is really bright and colorful.
00:08 I have so many different reactions.
00:11 They just come like this.
00:12 So I can have some people filming me or yelling at me.
00:19 The worst comment that I got is about my ethnicity.
00:23 Just people comment and say, "You're not real black people.
00:26 We are ashamed that you're black. Why are you acting white?"
00:30 We just embrace our weirdness and our creativity.
00:34 It's not cultural appropriation.
00:36 No, we are not Japanese. We don't act like Japanese.
00:39 We're just inspired by an alternative culture.
00:42 We're just normal humans.
00:44 We're just wearing colorful stuff and pretty jewelry.
00:47 My name is Azbel. I'm 22 years old.
00:53 I live in Paris. I'm a makeup artist.
00:56 I wear Décor & Fashion in my everyday life.
00:59 My style is Décor & Arché, which is Harajuku subculture.
01:02 Mainly a lot of accessories, a lot of hair clips, a lot of jewelry, bracelets.
01:09 It's really based on cute accessories, really bright and colorful.
01:13 We are in my apartment. It's a reflection of myself.
01:17 This is where I put all my main posters.
01:20 Here is the place I put all my manga.
01:23 I started collecting them when I was 9.
01:25 This is the place I do my makeup and everything.
01:28 I have a lot of makeup, but that's because I'm a makeup artist.
01:31 Then I put my accessories here.
01:33 That's really tricky to organize.
01:36 That's basically what I only want to wear.
01:40 When I have to work, I'll wear more regular clothes.
01:44 I don't feel confident at all.
01:46 I remember the last time I wore a black sweatshirt.
01:50 That was really horrible.
01:52 I have so many different reactions.
01:54 I have some people filming me or yelling at me.
01:58 I have a lot of bad comments and haters on my social media.
02:01 Today we have organized a Décor & Arché meeting.
02:06 Before going to the park, I'm going to meet my friend.
02:13 I put all my accessories and clothing around one character or one franchise.
02:18 Today I'm Rendo Dash from My Little Pony.
02:21 I chose to do Hello Kitty because I have so many Hello Kitty things at home.
02:26 I have a bag.
02:28 I'm in My Little Pony.
02:30 I have a ring and my shoes.
02:33 I put My Little Pony on my shoes.
02:36 Pastel and cinnamon things are everywhere.
02:42 I'm worried about Parisian style. It's really boring.
02:45 It's supposed to be the capital of fashion.
02:49 We don't see a lot of people being original.
02:52 I think Paris fashion is like pastels without butter.
02:57 Twice the sauce.
02:59 I've been dressed this way for maybe 10 years.
03:03 For my family, it was complicated at first.
03:06 They have a strong idea that Caribbean people, black people, don't have to do that.
03:11 But with time, my mom became my first fan.
03:17 Every time she said, "Send me photos!"
03:21 Right now, she just loves it.
03:23 Personally, my mother doesn't really like how I wear.
03:27 I was too afraid to emigrate because I used to live in a really small town.
03:31 But now that I live in Paris, I can do whatever I want.
03:34 We just embrace our weirdness and our creativity.
03:39 It's not cultural appropriation.
03:41 We are not Japanese. We don't act like Japanese.
03:43 We're just inspired by an alternative culture, not a traditional culture.
03:48 The reaction is really complicated.
03:51 People are curious.
03:53 They ask questions like, "Why are you wearing this?"
03:57 "Why are you like this?"
03:58 We have a disrespectful reaction.
04:00 They just come like this.
04:04 People are just waiting and taking pictures of us.
04:09 It's normal. We are cultural.
04:11 It's okay to take pictures of us.
04:13 A lot of people now ask if they can take a picture of us.
04:17 When we say no, because we don't know what they're going to do with the picture.
04:21 When we say no, they just move us like this.
04:24 "You're supposed to be taking pictures."
04:26 "What?"
04:27 Last time we were walking, someone asked us if she could take a picture of us.
04:31 We said no, and she said, "But I'm from New York."
04:33 I'm from New York.
04:35 One time I was going from school to my work.
04:38 The metro was packed.
04:39 The woman asked me for a picture.
04:41 I said no.
04:42 The moment I said no, she said, "You will never get a job."
04:44 At first, we were like, "Can I take a picture?"
04:46 We said no.
04:47 She was like, "You should be ashamed of wearing that. You are an animal."
04:51 I think the worst comment that I got is about my ethnicity.
04:55 People comment and say, "You're not real black people."
04:58 "You're ashamed that you're black."
05:00 "Why are you acting white?" "Why are you dressed like that?"
05:03 "You're not white. You actually act black."
05:06 I think most of the time it is racism that's the problem with me.
05:10 I think I've always known I was a little bit odd.
05:15 I never really could express it.
05:17 Wearing the current fashion makes me express that weirdness that's inside of me.
05:21 It makes me feel much better than if I was just dressed normally
05:26 and having the mindset that I have to be like everybody else.
05:30 That helps so much to be in a group
05:32 because people stare at your group and not at you personally.
05:37 When we are in the meeting, we feel really ourselves.
05:40 We are wearing what we want.
05:42 We are with people that are all nice.
05:45 Also, they understand you.
05:47 They know how you are.
05:48 They know the mindset, why you're wearing this.
05:51 It makes you feel great.
05:53 I don't think I'm going to wear Décorat the same way I'm doing it now
05:58 because we constantly evolve, we change, we have references.
06:02 Now I'm dressing full Hellkitty,
06:05 but maybe I'm not going to like it as much in the future.
06:08 I really want my role to be older and alternative.
06:12 I want people to know that being weird is okay.
06:16 Have fun is okay.
06:17 Wherever you're from, you can dress how you want.
06:20 We just like wearing colorful stuff and pretty jewelry.
06:24 [music]
06:29 [silence]
06:34 [BLANK_AUDIO]