Ayu and her influence on her peak

[Kouyou]

Is Kana Nishino's popularily in Japan really comparable to Ayu's during her peak? I wasn't aware she was so popular, given that her sales went down on her third album, Thank you, Love.

I know she's popular in the gyaru culture, but I didn't know she was popular like Ayu-popular.

[Andrenekoi]

^No, not Ayu level popular...

[jewelbox]

Among the trends Hamasaki has started are hime-kei (a look inspired by the fashions of 18th century French aristocracy) and chapatsu (hair-dyeing).
source:
http://gyaru.wikia.com/wiki/Ayumi_Hamasaki

[ayu_ready?]

Originally Posted by Becky

Is Kana Nishino's popularily in Japan really comparable to Ayu's during her peak? I wasn't aware she was so popular, given that her sales went down on her third album, Thank you, Love.

I know she's popular in the gyaru culture, but I didn't know she was popular like Ayu-popular.

surely not, although, among new Japanese solo artists, highlighting 'Japanese' & 'solo', Kana does pretty good (with groups obsession & hallyu) and she appears in the mag covers probably most frequently out of all, I guess she appears most frequently live too

the situation back then & now is pretty different. we cannot compare the sales level and many other things

I feel like Kana even isn't on her peak. yeah, she's the online sales queen, but I don't think she has reached her peak and if she ever will actually

but should I say Ayu wasn't a fashion icon dring her peak. it depends on what you call her peak, lol, but just by facts, after LOVE-Destiny- release she got her peak, then with A & only during LOVEppears the signs of Ayu turning a fashion icon first came into place, whereas Kana does have that 'cute style' special thing about her

[Kouyou]

^Thank you for explaining this to me. I didn't think Kana was Ayu-popular but I wanted to make sure.

On another note, I really wish the group trend going on in Japanese music right now would stop and solo artists would dominate again. It makes me sad to see people like Kana overlooked.

[happiholic★]

Originally Posted by emi♡

I agree with this.

But I also feel like Miliyah is a lot more experimental and edgier than people like Kana, who to me, seem really safe and just generally stylish and trendy, rather than being truly fashionable...

but that is a long ass discussion in itself lol

But here, yeah I think Kana is a lot easier to follow for young girls rather than say people like Miliyah and Ayu. And it was probably the same with Ayu with young girls back then...

Today, Ayu still seems to be following trends to me...but I'm not so sure as to why anymore...I guess she just likes it. I can't really see young girls following her either.


and early 2000s fashion...I think Ayu might have had something to do with the certain influx of western urban designs...like, everything MTRLG ever put out lol But that has since faded. Sometimes I feel like she was just in the right place at the right time...like hikki bringing in R&B music.


ohhh and what about the gyaru scene? idk anything about that.

I think that because Kana's style is more "trendy" than "high fashion", she is defiantly who young girls would consider their fashion leader, even if she isn't cutting edge. But, I notice that Ayu has started dressing similar to what Kana is wearing. One could argue that Ayu started the trend herself, I suppose, but its odd to her Ayu following someone much younger than her.

On Kana's popularity, I think that its as good as it can be for a female solo singer right now. At Ayu's peak, there weren't a whole lot of boybands and Korean singers to worry about. Not to mention that people don't buy CDs like they used to.

I really miss Ayu's old fashion days. I do love diva Ayu fashions, but I love her more unique stuff. Fox tails are not popular with my fashion classmates here in Toronto, so I am reminded everyday.

And I think Ayu is "sexier" than Kuu in the Japanese sense. Kuu may be sexy by Western standards, but I think that Ayu would be the sexier one by Japanese standards, she's little girl sexy. I love Ayu's trendsetter styles and Kuu's sexy woman styles best.

[ayu_ready?]

Originally Posted by happiholic★

But, I notice that Ayu has started dressing similar to what Kana is wearing. One could argue that Ayu started the trend herself, I suppose, but its odd to her Ayu following someone much younger than her

I noticed that with this pink hair, colourful lens and new clothes Ayu's actually just following the young trends, not Kana in particular, it's just that Kana wears a common Popteen style, lol
maybe Ayu wants to look younger that way
on the other note, I really do not like Ayufashion with lens,lips etc because for me it just makes her look ridiculous now. earlier she was a trend and created trends,now she's simply following them
she needs something new to stand out, I think

[visionfactory]

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

Well, the sole existance of Kana Nishino is somewhat a reflex of Ayu impact at that time xD

THIS.

[emi♡]

@happi and ayu_ready: I know, like when I saw Ayu in these clothes I was like "ugh no she isn't."

But idk I guess she likes it? it's just kinda ew to me on her. I like it on Kana though And on other models...but it just seems odd to me when I see it on ayu. I think she looks a lot better in the rocker chic styles.

I'll always and forever miss Ayu's early fashions. She just looked so rebellious and bad ass all the time. It was great. I think glamour Ayu is prettier...but I always preferred street style ayu lol

But that whole image, coupled with how her music was back then...idk I don't blame people at all for having the whole "old ayu vs new ayu" thing.

[TeamAyu2004]

they do look like two different people...
But I also think it shows that she has grown up.... but then she goes and does something utterly horrible and tries to be a child again, lol

[setsuka]

Kana is nowhere near as big as Ayu was...lol
and all her trends are set by magazines, I don't think she has coined any yet tbh

what I mean she is trendy, not setting trends

totally different, she is too conformist to be memorable.... Kuu, Ayu, Shiina or any other prominent female Japanese singers were different and brought something new

anyway Ayu did set many trends and was really creative

[happiholic★]

Originally Posted by ayu_ready?

I noticed that with this pink hair, colourful lens and new clothes Ayu's actually just following the young trends, not Kana in particular, it's just that Kana wears a common Popteen style, lol
maybe Ayu wants to look younger that way
on the other note, I really do not like Ayufashion with lens,lips etc because for me it just makes her look ridiculous now. earlier she was a trend and created trends,now she's simply following them
she needs something new to stand out, I think

I didn't mean follow Kana as in Ayu reads the latest issue of Popteen to see what Kana is wearing, I just mean that Kana jumped on the revival of the sweet granny trend first. Ayu adopted it later. Again, Ayu probably has some influence on the current trend from her past looks, considering that Kana's look is like a light hime-gyaru.

[ayu_ready?]

Originally Posted by emi♡

@happi and ayu_ready: I know, like when I saw Ayu in these clothes I was like "ugh no she isn't."

But idk I guess she likes it? it's just kinda ew to me on her. I like it on Kana though And on other models...but it just seems odd to me when I see it on ayu. I think she looks a lot better in the rocker chic styles.

I'll always and forever miss Ayu's early fashions. She just looked so rebellious and bad ass all the time. It was great. I think glamour Ayu is prettier...but I always preferred street style ayu lol

But that whole image, coupled with how her music was back then...idk I don't blame people at all for having the whole "old ayu vs new ayu" thing.

it looks good because Kana is young and it suits her. it's not that Ayu's an old grandma, but, mmm, this clothes seems childlish for her

[chu-lips]

^how if we forget the age thingy
i mean if all of us not know who is kana n ayu just see them as random model without knowing theirs age n who they are
do we still say that ayu isnt suit with that kind style that many of u said is kana invented
because in my opinion ayu still look nicee wearing it n prettier

still i thought that kana who followw ayu

[happiholic★]

Originally Posted by chu-lips

^how if we forget the age thingy
i mean if all of us not know who is kana n ayu just see them as random model without knowing theirs age n who they are
do we still say that ayu isnt suit with that kind style that many of u said is kana invented
because in my opinion ayu still look nicee wearing it n prettier

still i thought that kana who followw ayu

Even if I didn't know Ayu's age, I can tell she's not a teenager, or even in her early 20s. In fact, to most of my Asian friends Ayu looks old, even photoshopped. So, I would still think that Ayu looks odd in this style, and Kana looks better.

[chu-lips]

yess ayu doesn't look like a teen anymore n neither look that old
just her make up which make her older
but when she's in offshoot she look younger than her age
we just trap in our mind that she's old old n old lol

im okk when an old woman or man putting on "teen" fashion as long as they'r still able to pull it off
it's just my opinon

[ayu_ready?]

I honestly do not like the new Ayu taste, earlier it was much better & suitable. or does it have to do with her team & stylist change? her photoshoots meant to be 'kawaii' seem not to look 'conceptual' like Kyary, idk, but rather ridiculous, you know it just looks really bad-taste, to me, maybe idk, but, I do follow fashion & I do study & examine it, both gyaru & 'just fashion', I can see so many ways Ayu could be looking now, looking good, but, oh well

practically everything can be tastefully & beautifully done, every concept, every outfit. it's just the problem of your make-up artist who makes you look older, okay, and your stylist who makes you look wtf. and you, yourself, too, because you accepted it all

[Mirrorcle Monster]

I suddenly realized that 100% of the posts were about her fashion influence. It wasnt my intention to talk just about fashion, I was also talkin about how she influenced other artists, PVs, types of releases, types of songs...

[happiholic★]

Originally Posted by chu-lips

yess ayu doesn't look like a teen anymore n neither look that old
just her make up which make her older
but when she's in offshoot she look younger than her age
we just trap in our mind that she's old old n old lol

im okk when an old woman or man putting on "teen" fashion as long as they'r still able to pull it off
it's just my opinon

Well, in my opinion, she still looks "older", even with little to no makeup. And so my point still stands. Even if I didn't know Ayu and Kana's ages, if I just saw pictures of them, I would say that Ayu is older and not as well suited for the style as Kana, who is obviously younger and looks better. I'm not saying that Ayu can't dress that way if she really wants to. She can do what she wants. But, I don't have to think it looks good on her.

[mizuki-7]

But it's normal Ayu is 12 years older than Kana XD If kana who is 22/23 years look the same of a women who is 33/34 years it would be very strange for this last one...