Fukuyama Fashion Show 2012

This past weekend, Dustin, Theo, and I participated in an outdoor fashion show in downtown Fukuyama. There were over 25 clothing stores and designers represented and over 100 models wearing everything from kimono to dresses that looked like they were made out of loops of toilet paper. We have been attending rehearsals for this show since we came back from Canada and Dustin and I both are super glad it is finally over. It was a bit bigger and crazier than we expected it would be and in retrospect we would have turned down the offer to participate.

The show was held on the Motomachi which is a shopping street very close to Fukuyama Station. There was a red carpet down the middle of the street that served as the runway and the make-up, hair, and clothing changes were all done in an office building at the head of the Motomachi.

Dustin and Theo wore kimono and walked down the runway together. Here is Theo being dressed in his kimono.

and practicing walking with Dustin

After Theo got his hair done, he needed to pose for a serious photo.

I wore two different dresses by the same designer, both of which I found rather hideous. Here I am posing with a friend of ours who is wearing an elegant old-style kimono.

The first dress I wore was this tropical bird festooned atrocity. There were even beaded parrots on the Wonder Woman-esque bodice and along the skirt. I was really something else. 

Here is the second dress that I wore. It was deer hunting meets the prom. Compared to the bird dress, I almost enjoyed wearing it, but it certainly wasn't one that I would ever pick.

If you are interested in seeing some of the other outfits and models in the show, check out this link.

Ego Garden

In December, I modeled some outfits for an Italian clothing store in Fukuyama called Ego Garden. I have never done anything like this before, so it was a really fun new experience but a bit bizarre how it all came about.

While shopping in our neighbourhood grocery store a couple of months ago, I was approached by a stranger and asked if I would be interested in modeling in a fashion show. I was a bit leery, since his English was not fantastic and I could not get really clear details about the fashion show and exactly what kind of clothes I was to be modeling. He seemed like a nice man, but the whole encounter felt a bit strange to me and I didn't want to unknowingly agree to "adult" modeling or being sacrificed to some strange god in a seedy warehouse. A few days later he emailed some info about the event and had an English speaking friend of his call me and give me some more details. Surprisingly enough, it was actually a legit fashion show without any strange catch.

A few weeks later, I went to the clothing store to have outfits chosen with the three other people who were to be modeling clothes in the show. I don't think that I actually would ever wear the clothes that were chosen for me, especially the black, sacklike dress with the bizarre fuzzy shawl and gloves, but I was ready to sneak out the back door with the brown mohair coat that I wore in my second outfit. The show went well and I was able to make a nice bit of cash considering that I only "worked" for an hour and a half.

I finally managed to get my hands on a few photos this weekend and there is also a video which I am in for about 2 seconds, so enjoy!


Being shown around the venue before the show

Having my makeup and hair done

Group photo before the show

This was just about the most unflattering and uncomfortable dress that I have ever worn. It had a loose, sacklike top that narrowed below the hips. The sleeves were narrow until the elbow and then ballooned out. The neckline was really strange as well, but at least it was covered up by the fuzzy shawl.  

I had about 1 minute to throw off the first outfit and pull on this second one. This dress was actually much better than the last, and I absolutely loved the coat. Too bad it cost over 4,000$ Canadian!

I was pretty sure that this would be the one and only time that I would do something like this, but a few days ago I was asked if I would like to be in a tourism video that Fukuyama City is making. It will be shot in Tomo-no-Ura this weekend and I have no idea what my role will be exactly. Who knows how many random things I can manage to appear in while living in Japan!