Alexandra Waespi Explores the Intimate Worlds of Tokyo’s Gyaru and Otaku Through Their Bedrooms

Photographer Alexandra Waespi’s captivating project, initially conceived as a journey to Tokyo to immerse herself in the city’s vibrant nail art scene, has evolved into a profound exploration of youth culture, identity, and self-expression. What began as an interest in the intricate artistry of nails, a cornerstone of Tokyo’s expressive beauty landscape, quickly expanded to encompass the broader community of young creatives surrounding this niche. Waespi’s lens has turned inward, moving away from the familiar, often externalized spectacle of Tokyo, to unveil the private sanctuaries of young individuals deeply connected to the gyaru, otaku, and adjacent subcultures that blossomed in the 1990s.

This series offers an intimate glimpse into the bedrooms of these individuals, spaces that serve as both personal canvases and laboratories for their meticulously crafted identities. Waespi’s encounters reveal a fascinating dichotomy: the public face of these subcultures, often reduced to superficial clichés, and the deeply personal, often therapeutic, significance they hold for their adherents. The project underscores a critical point: that understanding these communities requires looking beyond surface-level perceptions and delving into the personal narratives and environments that shape them.

Genesis of a Project: From Nail Art to Subculture Exploration

Waespi’s photographic journey commenced with a specific focus on Tokyo’s nail artists. This initial objective stemmed from a recognition of nail art as a significant medium within Japan’s dynamic beauty culture, often pushing creative boundaries. However, upon arriving in Tokyo and engaging with the community, Waespi quickly recognized that the artistic expression extended far beyond the fingertips. The vibrant ecosystem surrounding nail art involved a wider array of young creatives who were actively shaping and embodying distinct cultural movements.

This realization prompted a shift in her photographic focus. Instead of documenting the finished artistry in sterile studio settings, Waespi sought to capture the environment where these creative processes were nurtured and identities were forged. Her project began to center on the private bedrooms of individuals involved in the gyaru and otaku subcultures, as well as related movements that emerged from the cultural shifts of the 1990s. This decision marked a departure from conventional portrayals of Tokyo, which often emphasize its futuristic cityscape and public displays of pop culture. Waespi aimed to reveal a more personal and introspective dimension of these youth movements.

The Bedroom as a Sanctuary and Creative Hub

As Waespi was granted access to the personal spaces of her subjects, she encountered rooms that were a vibrant testament to their aesthetic sensibilities. These were not minimalist, ordered environments, but rather densely populated zones brimming with the tools of their self-creation. The descriptions of these spaces consistently highlight a maximalist approach: "a cluttered mix of nail art, make-up, kitschy accessories, colourful beads and toy dolls." This visual abundance, Waespi notes, is not mere decoration but functional. "The spaces all hold the tools they need to create and build these characters and worlds and identities," she explains.

These bedrooms function as more than just living spaces; they are carefully curated environments that reflect and reinforce the identities the individuals cultivate. For many, especially those involved in subcultures that might face societal judgment or misunderstanding, these rooms serve as vital refuges. They are places where the pressures of the outside world can be shed, and where an authentic sense of self can be embraced and expressed without reservation. The act of entering these private spaces allowed Waespi to witness the intimate relationship between the individual and their chosen aesthetic, highlighting the profound personal meaning embedded within their beauty routines and surrounding décor.

Challenging Misconceptions: Beyond Surface-Level Stereotypes

A significant aspect of Waespi’s project is its endeavor to dismantle prevalent stereotypes associated with subcultures like gyaru. The common perception of gyaru often boils down to a narrow set of visual markers: "big eyelashes, tanned skin and blonde hair." However, Waespi’s immersion into the personal lives of these individuals revealed a far more nuanced reality. "I found how many misconceptions there are [about gyaru] and how misunderstood it is," she observes, emphasizing that the depth of these subcultures extends far beyond such superficial interpretations.

The project highlights that the elaborate beauty routines and distinctive styles are not simply about conforming to a trend, but are deeply intertwined with personal journeys of self-discovery, resilience, and affirmation. The meticulous application of makeup, the elaborate nail art, and the curated room aesthetics are all part of a larger process of constructing and projecting an identity that resonates with the individual. This exploration challenges viewers to look beyond the immediate visual cues and consider the underlying motivations, emotions, and personal philosophies that drive these forms of self-expression.

Individual Narratives: A Deeper Dive into Personal Expression

As Waespi’s series expands, it offers individual portraits that illuminate the diverse motivations and philosophies behind each subject’s embrace of their respective subcultures and beauty practices.

CHIPI: The "Candy Doll" and the Armor of Cuteness

Chipi describes her personal style as "Candy Doll – a girl who looks like a sweet treat that’s probably bad for you." This evocative description hints at a playful yet potentially subversive persona. Her room, she explains, is a sanctuary that has protected her: "It’s overflowing with all the cute things I love, and being in this space heals me and stops me from losing sight of who I am." This sentiment underscores the therapeutic role her environment plays, particularly in the face of professional pressures that can lead to a sense of self-estrangement. Her room serves as a constant reminder of her core identity, acting as a grounding force.

During the photoshoot, Chipi embraced a "little-devil gyaru vibe," even while battling a hangover. She highlights the importance of intensely dramatic lashes, viewing them as "guardian spirits protecting me." This detail reveals how beauty elements are imbued with personal meaning and protective symbolism. Her preference for "cool-toned pinks and nude beige-pink lip and cheek colours" stems from their perceived healing qualities. The enduring appeal of "dreamy, ‘yumekawa’ unicorn colours" since her youth signifies a deep-seated desire for an ethereal, fantastical identity, one she intends to maintain even in old age, envisioning herself as a "dreamy-cute old lady."

NOAH: Melancholy Aesthetics and Emotional Resonance

Noah’s approach to beauty is characterized by a preference for natural make-up, eschewing dramatic enhancements for a subtler expression. "I kept the make-up natural like I usually do. I personally prefer more natural make-up on myself rather than heavy lashes or dramatic looks," she states. Her choice of a vibrant blue hair color, maintained for over six months, is a deliberate aesthetic statement. "I think it matches the kind of aesthetic I love – a blend of cute, dreamy, melancholic, sensual and dark elements," she explains, articulating a complex and layered personal style.

For Noah, beauty transcends mere visual appeal, encompassing a deeper emotional and psychological dimension. "To me, beauty is more about a feeling than just looking pretty. I love things that feel emotional, memorable and leave some kind of lingering mood behind," she elaborates. Her bedroom aesthetic acts as a direct influence on her creative output, particularly in nail art. "My room feels like a mood board for my nail art. The atmosphere, colours, lighting and objects around me naturally influence the emotions and aesthetics I create through nails," she notes, illustrating a symbiotic relationship between her environment and her artistic expression.

MINORI: The Art of Decoration and Curated Worlds

Minori approaches beauty and self-presentation through the lens of decoration, a skill she identifies as her forte and passion. "What I’m good at, and what I truly love, is decorating things. I approach beauty with that same sense of decoration, so I believe that’s what gives my styling its own unique world and perspective," she explains. This philosophy extends to her living space, where she insists on surrounding herself only with objects she cherishes, meticulously arranged to create a sense of personal harmony. "Unless everything I see is decorated and arranged exactly the way I want it, I can’t truly relax," she admits.

In the photoshoot, Minori opted for a subtle approach to complement her bedroom setting, focusing on achieving a "glossy skin texture" with purple and white highlighters. Her styling for the shoot, predominantly pink, was accented with green star stickers, demonstrating a keen eye for color contrast and playful detailing. A strong affinity for anime aesthetics is evident in her frequent use of blue contact lenses, inspired by blonde-haired, blue-eyed characters. Her nail designs, often self-created, reflect her current stylistic obsessions. At the time of the shoot, she was deeply immersed in the "Hime Gyaru" look, incorporating elements like "pink, black, and pearls."

SUZUKEI: Embodying the Heisei Gyaru Spirit

Suzukei views gyaru make-up as a tool for self-empowerment, a means to create a "stronger, more expressive version of yourself." She identifies the "heavy eye make-up – bold lashes, dramatic eyeliner, enlarged eyes, and that striking, exaggerated look" as a quintessential element of gyaru culture. She also emphasizes the transformative power of hair, considering both makeup and hair to be equally crucial in defining the gyaru aesthetic.

For her appearance in Waespi’s project, Suzukei aimed for a classic "Heisei gyaru feel," employing layered double upper lashes and adding lower lashes to amplify the eyes. Her intention was to evoke a look that is "flashy, confident and nostalgic," reminiscent of the "glamorous gyaru styles you’d see in old Japanese fashion magazines from the 2000s." Her personal style is deeply rooted in fashion as a primary mode of self-expression, with a lifelong attraction to "bold, expressive styles." Her formative years were influenced by Japanese Heisei-era fashion, and her recent immersion in gyaru culture signifies a deliberate embrace of its distinct aesthetics.

Broader Implications: Identity, Subculture, and Representation

Alexandra Waespi’s project arrives at a time when digital platforms continue to shape and disseminate youth cultures globally. However, her work offers a crucial counterpoint to the often ephemeral and curated nature of online self-presentation. By focusing on the intimate spaces of bedrooms and the personal narratives of individuals, Waespi provides a more grounded and authentic perspective on subcultures that are frequently subject to external interpretation and simplification.

The project’s implications extend beyond the realm of fashion and beauty. It highlights the evolving nature of identity formation in contemporary society, particularly among young people who navigate complex social landscapes. The elaborate beauty rituals and the creation of curated personal spaces can be understood as strategies for asserting agency, building self-esteem, and finding belonging within communities that offer shared values and aesthetics.

Furthermore, Waespi’s work contributes to a richer understanding of Japanese youth culture, moving beyond monolithic representations to reveal the diversity and depth within movements like gyaru and otaku. By humanizing the individuals behind these often-misunderstood subcultures, the project encourages a more empathetic and nuanced appreciation of their creative expressions and the personal significance they hold. The project serves as a powerful reminder that beneath the striking visuals and stylistic conventions lie individual stories of self-discovery, resilience, and the universal human desire for authentic self-expression.