I really wanted to be a model to I became one.
Then I came here Tokyo, I started to be a model.
Yes I got scouted in Shibuya.
Hey guys this is Cathy Cat. Today we've come to a famous
Japanese fashion event and we are allowed backstage at A-COLLECTION
Today we are gonna ask the models how they became a model in Japan.
That's gonna be interesting, take notes guys!
What got you into modelling?
What got me into modelling... I first got into Lolita fashion...
that's how I found out about the KERA magazine.
I really wanted to become a model for KERA.
So I asked my agency if they could make me a model of that magazine.
And that is how I became a model for KERA magazine.
I got into the KERA street snap pictures.
From there on I got published on the Makup tutorial pages
but it all started from the fashion snaps for me.
How did you end up being a designer then?
I actually studied at a school for fashion.
I always wanted my own brand. So I opened up my own little store
and created my brand "Lolita Syndrome".
What got me into modelling was....
KERA takes street snaps of people in other areas of Japan.
I was at my hometown in Shizuoka and got asked to have my pictures taken.
When I then moved to Tokyo, the same camera man asked me again.
And due to that I got asked to be in the main part of the fashion magazine.
What got me into modelling... I tried many decora fashion styles.
I walked around Harajuku in street fashion style
and then a shop in Osaka asked me to be their model for them.
I first started as a model for an online shop and then after a while doing that
I am doing all kinds of modelling here.
From highschool I always wanted to become a famous person.
So I pushed my way in.
How did you do that?
I like standing out.
I first joined a theatre company called "Gekidan Himawari".
And then started blogging professionally.
And from there onward I would sometimes appear on TV
and got asked to be in magazines and similar.
How did you become a model?
- Cause it's cool. - That's right.
But what do you want to be in the future?
- I want to be a Johnny's idol. - That's right.
- You like dancing too? - I like it.
- Can you sing? - I can!
Wow.
How I started modelling...
I watched fashion shows and admired the models but...
what really got me into modelling was when I was 19.
I got scouted in Shibuya back then.
You walked around town normally and got scouted?
Yeah that's right. I got scouted in Shibuya.
I used Twitter and got more and more followers.
There was a group called "Fashion Association" and they asked me
to be in it.
So I became part of fashion shows, magazine shoots and events
that's how I became a model.
How did I?
I was working at the shop and always wore flashy fashion.
I guess that's what got me into it.
Yeah but I was also in street snaps.
Must have been the street snaps for me.
I enjoyed blogging at that time too.
I think the blogging and street fashion snaps got me into it.
It just happened.
I walked around Harajuku and got scouted for the streetsnaps
and later got into the magazine itself.
Same for me. I got approached in Harajuku.
?
- So you got scouted? - Yeah I did.
I didn't get straight into the magazine. I first got scouted for my agency.
And then my agency introduced me to the magazines. That was it.
Did you want to become a model in the first place?
I was modelling from my childhood onward so it was easy to continue.
I used to be a baby model. Then stopped in elementary school.
And then started again from when I was 12 years old.
When I was in elementary school, my parents made me model.
From middle school onward I got interested in clothes and continued.
I decided I wanted to work where I could wear fashion.
So how to become a model in Japan, we had a variety of responses there.
Some people got big because they had social networks,
that pushed them like Twitter or a blog.
Other people said they got scouted on the streets
by talent agencies or other companies.
Also street snaps. In Japan it's a big thing. Magazines go out
and they take pictures of fashionably dressed people.
Most models said they started with the street snaps and then got into modelling.
So how about you?
Would you like to start modelling? Why and why not?
Let us know. Looking forward to your comments.
Catch you soon and don't forget on the top right we have more videos
asking Japanese people about Japan and a couple of useful things
be sure to check it out. Until then catch you soon on Ask Japanese.