Lolita Dreams is about the Lolita fashion subculture community in China.
Lolita fashion is a subculture that originated in Japan and is primarily inspired by the clothing and general aesthetics of the Rococo and Victorian periods. Participants in this subculture have redefined the term ‘Lolita’, shifting its original connotation from Nabokov's sexual metaphor associated with the Lolita complex to a new, de-sexualized meaning that embodies girlishness, cuteness, and elegance. Particularly, Lolita participants pointed out that Nabokovian Lolita’s undertone is sexualised children, but Lolita fashion subculture is in connection with adults who desire to express childish cuteness. Gradually, Lolita fashion subculture has developed into an industry, generating economic benefits and getting a lot of fans on the internet.
As a foreign subculture, Lolita fashion has inevitably had its ups and downs with the government-led mainstream culture and public opinion in the course of its development. Through interviews and portraits with various Lolita participants, I investigate the phenomenon of de-Westerncentrism in the localization process of the Lolita subculture and the influence of Lolita fashion on their individuality, identity perception, lifestyle choices and consumption habits.
Lolita时尚起源于日本，其最初的灵感主要源自洛可可艺术风格和维多利亚时期的美学风格。这种亚文化的参与者对Lolita一词进行了重新定义，将其原本的内涵，从纳博科夫与洛丽塔情结相关的性隐喻转变为一种新的去性别化的含义。纳博科夫式的洛丽塔本质是将儿童置于性隐喻之中，而Lolita亚文化的起源则是成年人去追求与表达童真、可爱、优雅以及少女情怀。
早年间，Lolita在国内只是小众亚文化，爱好者们通过服饰来展现个性，探索自我认知。在本土化过程中，Lolita文化不可避免地与主流文化和大众观念产生摩擦，同时也与主流文化和其他亚文化融合，发展出了许多新的风格，并逐渐形成产业、粉丝群体和网络流量。近年来，Lolita与其他动漫游戏相关亚文化一起，正越来越多地影响着年轻一代的生活方式与消费习惯，努力融入到日常生活及主流文化之中。
我通过与不同年龄、风格、体征、性别的Lolita爱好者进行交流，通过肖像创作与访谈，研究外来流行文化的本土化现象，探讨Lolita时尚对其个性、身份认知、生活方式以及消费习惯的影响。
KillerTiger777, 2024. KillerTiger777 has loved Lolita fashion for over a decade. After completing her studies and work in Beijing, she returned to her hometown, Chongqing. Now a freelancer, she balances roles as a doujinshi illustrator, Lolita model, and subculture photographer. She enjoys gothic-style Lolita and creatively combines Lolita with other subcultural styles. Reflecting on the current state of the Lolita community, she notes that its expansion has attracted a broader audience but has also diluted its subcultural essence, leading to changes that don’t fully align with Lolita’s original spirit.
Wan Rui, 2023. WanRui fell in love with the Lolita subculture almost ten years ago. She believes that Lolita gives her self-confidence and happiness and can help her overcome her social phobia. She is now a Lolita model and an independent photographer. She usually sets up her camera on a tripod, takes self-portrait using a mobile app and then shares her Lolita photos on social media platforms.
Luo He, 2024. Luo He is a Lolita handcraftwomen. In the process of commercialization of the Lolita subculture community, a variety of creative industry occupations have arisen, and one of them is the handcraftwomen. They emphasize their subcultural identity by making handmade accessories to enrich their Lolita-style outfit. The hat and the mirror are both of her own design.
Jing Zhi, 2023. After graduating from university, Jing zhi moved back to a small town near Chengdu, but still maintains close ties with the Chengdu Lolita community. She also works as a Lolita model in her spare time. This time she took advantage of her holiday to come to Chengdu for Anime Expo.
Xiao Pa, 2024. Xiao Pa is a university student majoring in directing. She fell in love with Lolita fashion in middle school. She doesn't like drawing attention to herself, so her favorite Lolita style is Classic Lolita, which is more everyday style. Through Lolita fashion, she has met many like-minded friends who, like rays of sunshine, have warmed her heart and given her immense energy. The portrait was make in the woods outside her school. She told me that whenever she has worries or needs to think, she comes here to be alone and reflect.
Tu Zi, 2024. Tu Zi is a third-year student at a university in Xiamen. She got into Lolita fashion because her first boyfriend was a “Brolita” (a male Lolita enthusiast). Nowadays, she frequently follows Lolita trends and has already bought 13 dresses this year. Lolita has sparked her love for all things cute and made her more attentive to the little details in life. She also enjoys crafting her own accessories to pair with her outfits. One evening, she brought out a doll she made herself and took a photo with it in the sunset.
Yi Ling, 2021. I met her at an Anime Expo. This type of costume with a beautiful headdress often attracts the attention of many people at Anime Expo.
Huang Er, 2021. Huang Er is a model of ACG-related subculture. She dressed in a Qi Lolita which is a style of Lolita that is the combination with Chinese qipao. Be aware that Qi Lolita can come across as being appropriative when worn by people who are not from China.
Nai He, 2023. I met her through an online chat group. It was the first time I met her offline, at an anime convention. She was wearing a kigurumi mask. It's a spin-off culture of cosplay. She told me later that it saved her time putting on make-up.
Xiong Xiaomi, 2023. I took a photo for Xiong Xiaomi last year. I met her again this year at the biggest Anime Expo in Chengdu. She had changed into a completely different style of Lolita dress than last time, and I didn't even recognise her at first. For her, Lolita gives her the opportunity to be different from herself.
Fu Yang, 2023. She is a first year university student and a fan of Lolita culture. She also gets paid to do make-up for cosplayers and Lolita fans who attend Anime Expo. For her, this kind of subculture is both a hobby and part of her leisure income.
Le Le, 2022. Le Le is a Lolita costume and hanbok enthusiast who is preparing to study art in Japan this year. Before studying abroad, she spends her free time doing make-up for other enthusiasts.
La Pi, 2023. La Pi works as an original illustrator at a gaming company. Influenced by a female classmate in college, she found Lolita fashion captivating and gradually developed a fondness for it. Nowadays, she occasionally wears Lolita outfits to work. Through embracing the Lolita culture, she has expanded her circle of friends and discovered a more authentic version of herself.
Lancy, 2023. Lancy is a student who has loved Lolita for six years. At first she liked Lolita because it looked pretty, then she gradually adopted it as her everyday dressing style. She is independent and has made many friends with the Lolita community. She loves the style and design of the dress on her and has created a make-up look to go with it. We made the photo at Seminarium Annuntiationis, which is built in 1895.
Xiao Jiu, 2024. Xiao Jiu is a longtime Lolita enthusiast. Even before Chinese Lolita brands became popular, she owned many Japanese Lolita dresses. Now, after several years in the workforce, she has integrated Lolita into her everyday life rather than treating it as an occasional, ceremonial style. On the day of the interview, she arrived on her electric scooter, and I captured a portrait of her alongside it.
Hao Fan, 2018. I've known her for 6 years. She was still at college when this picture was taken. At that time she liked Lolita dress and cosplay subculture, and often asked me to take pictures of her. This photo was taken during a shopping trip. Later on, as she got busier with her studies, she seemed to be less and less present in this subcultural community.
Yu Zai and Xiong Xiaomi, 2022. Yu Zai and Xiong Xiaomi were high school friends. It appears to be the first time they have been photographed together. They chose a twins Lolita dress with black and white. It is a style from ACG-related maid dress and is very popular recently in teenagers of Lolita fashion.
Guo Jiang, 2024. Guo Jiang is from Hubei and just graduated from university in Fuqing this year. Fuqing is a smaller district under Fuzhou in Fujian Province, and though it's not a big city, she decided to stay and become a freelance photographer, specializing in portrait and wedding photography. There aren’t many Lolita participants in the area, so wearing Lolita in public takes some courage. Through this fashion, she overcame her social anxiety, gained confidence, and significantly improved her makeup skills, eventually falling in love with photography. This time, she traveled from Fuqing to Quanzhou for my interview. I asked her to try on a traditional flower hairpin headpiece, a local custom of Quanzhou, which has become a popular element in portrait photography nationwide, perfectly matching her profession. I took this portrait of her in a flower hairpin shop.
Lin Er, 2023. Lin Er is a male Lolita enthusiast. Men have always been a niche presence in the Lolita scene. Although there is a small amount of Lolita clothing for men, most of the time they also wear female Lolita dress. They are often seen as an anomaly both inside and outside the community. For various reasons, Lin Er rarely wore women's Lolita clothes after he started working. I took this photo of him in full costume at the largest Lolita tea party in Chengdu.
Xiao Nan, 2023. Xiao Nan is the organiser of the Lolita Tea Party in Chengdu and one of the leaders of the local Lolita community. 2023 was the end of China's strict epidemic prevention and control policy. She organised a huge tea party that attracted over 150 Lolita enthusiasts, even more than before the Covid-19 pandemic. After the tea party, she took off her wig and I took this photo of her looking a little tired.
Li Li, 2022. Li Li is a photographer of the Lolita community and she is also a fan of Lolita fashion. She usually wears a Lolita dress when she takes pictures. I took this picture when she was working as a photographer for a Lolita party.
Lai Lai, 2022. I met her at a small Anime Expo. She loves the style and feeling which is called Doll.
Xiao Ding, 2024. Xiao Ding studies in a county town in Chongqing and will graduate next year. For her final year internship, she moved to the city. Xiao Ding is fond of Gothic style, and nearly all her Lolita dresses are black. Additionally, due to her sister being a member of an underground idol group, she is also involved in the underground idol culture community. Although she has only recently moved to the city, she frequently visits Fangyuan Live in the city center, a gathering spot for the ACG community in Chongqing. While slightly shy and introverted, she confidently wears Gothic outfits when going out.
Tong Tong, 2022. I met Tong Tong at a Gothic tea party and she loved this style of Lolita dress. However, due to her busy schedule, she now rarely has the opportunity to wear similar outfits. For her, dressing the way she likes is sometimes a way to relax.
Gang Gang, 2020. She is my friend's sister and is police. She saw the Lolita photos I took and thought the dress was very pretty, so she wanted to try it on too. It was the first time she wore a Lolita dress and for her it was a different feeling from her everyday life.
Jue Ran, 2024. Jue Ran is from Zhangzhou and is currently a senior at a university in Xi'an. Her first Lolita dress was later discovered to be a knockoff, which made her start paying closer attention to Lolita fashion, eventually becoming an avid participants. At university, she encouraged her classmates to learn about and try out Lolita clothing. However, unlike Xi'an, her hometown Zhangzhou is a smaller city, and her family doesn’t support her wearing Lolita. She often attracts curious looks from passersby when she walks down the street. Despite this, she remains committed to her passion. She believes there are many possibilities in Lolita fashion, so she loves dresses that inspire her creativity and enjoys experimenting with less conventional styles.
Cha You, 2023. Cha You is currently in her third year of high school. She developed a liking for Lolita fashion back in her second year of junior high. Faced with academic pressures, the joy of wearing a Lolita dress for the first time momentarily eased her stress. Since then, she's regarded Lolita as a form of reward. For every memorable moment in her life, she rewards herself with a new Lolita dress. She prefers dresses that have a narrative design, where the patterns resonate with her inner self, symbolizing how different traits construct a complete version of herself. She reached out to me to make photos of her with Lolita, hoping to commemorate her 18th birthday with them.
Xiao Fu, 2023. Xiao Fu began embracing Lolita fashion around 2016 and currently works as a teacher. Lolita has seamlessly integrated into her life, and she enjoys experimenting with various accessories to complement her outfits. Wearing these distinctive dresses attracts more attention, and as urban culture becomes increasingly inclusive, the majority of the attention she receives is positive. These affirming responses have contributed significantly to her growing self-assurance. Additionally, she owns a large motorcycle, which she uses for her daily commute. I made a portrait of her alongside her motorcycle.
Mo Su, 2023. Mo Su developed an interest in Lolita fashion around 2018, enjoying both Gothic and Classic styles. To her, Lolita represents freedom and audacity, prioritizing personal joy over conforming to the expectations of elders. She follows her inner aesthetic and pays no mind to others' opinions. Often on Fridays, she wears Lolita attire to the office. As she closes the office door at the end of the day, she feels liberated.
Guai Guai, 2022. Guai Guai is a Deco Lolita (or as it is known as OTT) based shopkeeper with many other subcultures. This style decorates the entire outfit from head to toe with a high amount of accessories such as hair clips, ribbons, bracelets and various other layers. It is extremely visually appealing. They often appear to have an outgoing personality, but are extremely sensitive on the inside.
Xiao Sheng, 2022. Xiao Sheng finished high school. I met her at a Lolita party. She had bought two new dresses during the summer holidays. She asked me to take some pictures of her wearing her new dress.
Zhu Zi, 2020. Zhu Zi is a type of enthusiast who wears Lolita dress as daily wear. Relatively speaking, this group of people is more likely to be found in large cities with more developed economies. Lolita is a part of her life and she doesn't feel that wearing it is something special in her life.
Cindy, 2023. Cindy began following Lolita fashion around 2022 and is currently a sophomore in college. I got acquainted with her through social media and arranged to meet on a free weekend at a park near her school. She mentioned that Lolita has made her feel more refined and confident, also instilling in her a sense of being uniquely independent and cool in her own way.
