The 1980s saw the birth of several brands that would later become cornerstones of Lolita fashion, though the style itself had not yet coalesced. At this point, Lolita fashion was less defined, with no standardized silhouette or rules. For example, early designs often lacked the signature petticoats or elaborate hairstyles that later became hallmarks of the style. It was common to mix Lolita-inspired clothing with casual wear. During this period, the fashion remained experimental and fluid. Extravagant dresses were relatively rare, and coordination rules were still evolving.
In 1987, the popular magazine Ryuko Tsushin published an article titled “Goodbye to the Lolita Girl.” The exact meaning of the term “Lolita” in this context is unclear—it could refer to the burgeoning subculture or an entirely different style. This article predates Adrian Lyne’s controversial 1997 film adaptation of Lolita by a decade, suggesting that the term was already being used in Japanese fashion discourse.
In 1983, Nagomu Records was founded, heralding the “Nagomu-kei” subculture with quirky, playful indie bands. Fans, known as “Nagomu Gals,” were precursors to later Lolita communities. Contrasting this, 1984 saw the rise of Trance Records, characterized by dark, heavy music and “Trance Gals,” who inspired the gothic aesthetic.
Major fashion milestones included the establishment of HYSTERIC GLAMOUR in 1984, a kitschy brand blending American casual with Japanese tastes, and Vivienne Westwood’s first Tokyo showcase in 1984, bringing punk aesthetics to Japan. In 1988, BABY, THE STARS SHINE BRIGHT, now synonymous with Lolita fashion, was founded, further cementing this decade as the beginning of a unique Japanese reinterpretation of Western styles.
TIMELINE
THE MEDIA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, “Across”, begins doing fixed-point observation around shinjuku, shibuya, and harajuku. this is a great resource in observing the development of lolita fashion and for understanding how people styled lolita before there was a uniformed look to it.
Olive magazine was launched in 1982 which worked to popularize french and british inspired fashion. these styles would go on to influence lolita fashion. olive became a main source of styling information for many young readers in the 80’s who came to be known as “olive girls”.
in 1983, Nagomu records is founded by indie singer, kera. followers of this band are called nagomu gals and according to some sources, they later developed into gothic lolitas as the music scene developed as well.
Hysteric glamour was founded in 1984 as a sub brand of ozone community. although it is not explicitly lolita fashion, in the 1980s many of the early lolitas would style hysteric glamour items into their cordinations. at the time, there wasn’t a big distinction between “girly” styles and our current loltia style. hysteric glamour was also a pioneering brand of harajuku street fashion in the 1980s.
in 1984, Closet Child opened their first physical location as a “recycle shop”, selling clothing, accessories and music. today they have stores specializing in different SECOND-HAND sub-culture fshion, including lolita fshion.
vivienne westwood debuts the rocking horse slippers during her 1985 spring/summer collection, mini-crini. these shoes are known as a staple piece in lolita fashion.
The most prominant aspect of 1987 for lolita history was the fact that this is the oldest known record of the term lolita fashion being used
Baby, The Stars Shine Bright (ベイビー・ザ・スターズ・シャイン・ブライト) 1988: Founded by Akihiko Isobe and his wife Fumiko in 1988. This brand is one of the most iconic sweet lolita fashion labels, famous for its pastel colors like pink and sax, and its collection of dresses, headpieces, and accessories.
The manga KISS XXXX was released in 1988, featuring a lolita as the main character.
Heart E (ハート イー) 1988: Founded by a designer known as “E,” who graduated from Bunka Fashion College. Before launching Heart E, “E” worked at C-CREW and CASELINE. Heart E is credited with being the first to create children’s clothing in adult sizes, a key feature of the brand. They also provided costumes for the drama Osorubeki!!! Otonashi Karen-san.
ALthough The brand jane marple had been around since 1985, it wasn’t until 1989 when designer Megumi Murano and yasuhiro narita opened the first physical location in the harajuku mall, laforet.
