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For many years, Yuri Ebihara, 29, known as “Ebi-chan,” has been the most popular model in Japan. Though she is still in demand for TV commercials and billboard ads, Ebi-chan's style is no longer keeping up with the changing fashion trends among young women, according to weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun (Dec 18).
“In July, fashion magazine Vivi became the best-selling magazine, outselling CanCam. CanCam has been losing its momentum in the fashion magazine industry. Its coverage is now conservative and it features too many articles with commercial tie-ups," a fashion industry insider tells Shukan Bunshun.
Exclusively featuring Ebihara, CanCam has been the top fashion magazine for the past few year. In 2006, 620,000 copies of the magazine were sold, but this year, the figure will most likely be under 400,000. ViVi is now more widely read by young girls, increasing its sales to 340,000 copies in 2008.
Fashion insiders point out that fashion trends are changing and long-time models lose their appeal over time. Kazuyuki Yamamuro, editor of WWD Japan, says, “Recently, young girls do not want that cute style that CanCam represents. Rather, their interest is shifting to the casual style of celebrities you see in Los Angeles, for example. The 'Ebi-chan boom' was a social phenomenon that has stuck to CanCam past its use-by date."
Perhaps, Ebihara and her handlers are aware of this, says Shukan Bunshun. She recently "graduated" from CanCam and now appears in AneCam magazine which targets older women readers.
Meanwhile, ViVi currently features models such as Marie, Rina Fujii and Jun Hasegawa who are more racially mixed. They all appeared in the wildly popular Tokyo Girls Collection. A stylist says, “Those models sometimes appear in TV programs, too. While they are good models, their biggest appeal is in their friendly personalities which makes young girls feel familiar with them.”
So what will be the next style, Shukan Bunshun wonders? Fashion insiders think the ideal for young girls will be the “bitchy” type, not the cutesy woman that guys expect.
© Japan Today
27 Comments
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oberst
awesome
myosotis
Is "bitchy" another way of saying assertive? As opposed to the "cutsey", giggley, I need to have a boyfriend by Christmas type, that guys expect now.
afternoontea
When you break it down, they're all just half white.
zurcronium
If Ebi-chan needs a shoulder to cry on . . .
pointofview
Hopefully they dont develop a bitchy attitude cuz theres enough of that floating around...
Nessie
How could anyone leave her behind?
(apologies to Spinal Tap)
bebert
"Bitchy" is another way of saying unbearable to be around and a relief to get away from. It certainly isn't a "friendly personality."
saborichan
Maybe that panda-eye thing taken from Ayu-chan will disappear too. I got a good laugh this month from a magazine advertising 'Nuts Girls'.
Richard_III
Isn't this basically ギャル style, or is that different?
Dennis Bauer
afternoontea "When you break it down, they're all just half white." what is that supposed to mean? racially mixed means any race
sageb1
Does "bitchy" mean "exposed to parents whose idea of a good time is getting high on drugs and booze and making a hubbaloo in public, resulting in trauam that leads to a hard life including getting taken advantage by cads, drug dealers, prostitutes and would-be rapists"?
30061015
"young girls will be the “bitchy” type, not the cutesy woman that guys expect."
So they end up with someone like mom?
usaexpat
"young girls will be the "bitchy" type, not the cutesy woman that guys expect" Wow that's a great ideal, everyone loves bitchy girls. At least they are good for "bitch" slapping.
hoserfella
Nessie-Good one! "What`s wrong with being sexy?"
Nessie
Thanks, Hoserfella. Nothin' wrong at all. ;)
seesaw
She recently “graduated” from CanCam and now appears in AneCam magazine which targets older women readers.
what? at 29..she is already an oba-san?...boo hoo hoo..
kaminarihito
"Changing trends" = getting old
onewrldoneppl
ebi-hara's handlers don't let her do variety programs while, yu yamada and moe oshikiri do a bit more TV. but to blame ebihara for CanCam's saggin' sales is beyond ignorance. the fact of the matter is magazines like "NUTS" and "JELLY" are takin' huge chunks out of teen and 'around 20' fan base. women in their 30s and 40s are more interested in "around 40" magazines/models. they identify more with Harumi Edo or Miyuki Amami.
Triumvere
If ya'll are finished with Ebi-chan, I'll take her. No charge.
Sarge
Yuri Ebihara is one of those women who will still be stunning into her fifties and perhaps beyond...
Wottock_Hunt
I'd never leave Ebi-chan's behind. Front's not bad, either.
WilliB
Ebi-chan is good enough for me, no matter what the young girls think.
Apsara
No way, I am in my early 30s and can't imagine ever "identifying" with Edo Harumi or seeing her as a role model. Try Fujiwara Norika or Koyuki.
katiemian
She's not good in drama either.How dare she's promoting a bitchy styling targeting young &adult woman.Are you sure she's not using aesthetic beauties just to make her beauty perfect?
telecasterplayer
Well.. if Japan is done with her, I suppose I can think of a few things she can do.
LFRAgain
Take heart, weasel. Mattel sued the crap out of the makers of Bratz for copyright infringement and won. "Bratz" are finally going the way of the dinosaur.
It's sad, but I find that more often than not, when Japanese society gets a hankering for emulating something from the West, they always manage to latch on the least-attractive representatives, like "gangsta rap" or peppering their language with words like "shit" on popular variety shows, or, in this case, being "bitchy" because that's what's in vogue with the spoiled brats that domonate the current entertainment scene in the West.
Quite franky, "bitchy" isn't a cool or desireable trait by even a stretch and whatever else Ebihara may be, she wasn't snorting coke and flashing paparazzi with naked crotch shots during her reign as teenie-bopper fashion queen, so kudos to her for staying away from that crap.