Fashion magazines in Japan are not an objective review of market offerings based on expert analysis nor are they about statements. They are sources of raw information expertly selected, following a set of seasonally changing rules within a given subculture – an authoritative source of information. It is a practical top-down legitimization of fashion brands, and how to coordinate and wear them. [ [note] parts of this article are heavily based on the theories and articles from W. David Marx, who assisted in uncovering many of the dynamics described in this text. ]
Those with money can choose more freely which subculture they wish to belong to. Being able to choose (and afford for that matter) certain luxury products, means being able to belong or to produce the image that you are able to copy more complex social codes. Japanese consumers study magazines to be educated enough to conform to the rules of the season and interpret them according to the demands of their networks. Magazines readers want to pick an individual style out of the framework of safe and socially acceptable clothes selected with media approval.
In Japan, buying a certain magazine gives others the impression that you are interested in the specific style promoted by the magazine (mote-kei, post-gyaru, girly, high fashion, to name a few). Wearing a certain handbag brand does not define your personality in the eyes of others, but belonging to social groups, being 'oshare' (trendy, fashion-conscious) or belonging to a life-stage (mature, student). Of course, these messages are not universal and often function only in combination (a certain handbag in combination with certain clothes).
The complexity of the combinations possible and the grade of understanding them gives others who are adept at reading the signs a grade of understanding how "oshare" the wearer is or what social group she belongs to. In order to be able to judge these signs, consumers of social segments have to constantly keep themselves updated by reading magazines, blogs and other sources that "inform" them of actually practiced trends and their possible combinations. A person considered oshare by people who keep themselves informed successfully, is able to navigate safely and easily through the complex system of messages. There is involved both a positive and a negative experience in the fashion imperative of Japan. That is the desire and feeling of belonging, and the fear of standing out or even being cast out of a group, respectively.
When the consumers follow authorities (magazines, famous brands) it decrease the amount of social choices or social situations, freeing them from having to constantly worry about being judged negatively and wear what they like in a safe context. Without a safe context living in a highly structured society like Japan may cause substantial stress. Generally speaking, the only consumer products that succeed in Japan are the ones that have been legitimized by some sort of authority. Mass media acceptance is solid proof that a brand is among the safe choices and is socially relevant.
HOW SHOULD WESTERN BRANDS USE THE MEDIA? Brands are often not aware of the ubiquitous usage of styles for messaging and their meaning in Japan. The important thing is to understand how this system works, how foreign brands are combined with domestic styles, and how much of their original brand image is stripped away or dispersed, and replaced by perceived images of status and ownership groups.
Which group of people wears a certain brand? Which group of people usually follows this style? These images are largely formed also by the magazines that the brands choose to advertise in. Japanese consumers simply assume that if a brand advertises in a certain group of magazines (that are representing a certain style) then that brand is to be identified with the readers and styles of those magazines. Simply put, if a brand advertises in magazines for young “girly style” magazines then the readers will assume that the brand is for young girly Japanese consumers. Use a certain model for endorsements of the brand, and women who identify with the model will identify with the brand. These dynamics are also known in the West, but in Japan the categories are more clear cut and therefore allow a much clearer identification of styles and user groups. As W. David Marx has put it in one of his latest articles for Neojaponisme, "Real Harajuku Girls, For Real":
“In Japan, you can often judge a book by its cover. Consumers embrace a total, well-defined “taste culture” in which to consume, and once inside that group — usually defined by a specific magazine — they buy goods very faithfully to that culture. We should also remember that there is a certain predestination in which “taste culture” consumers gravitate towards.”
More important than the image it creates when a brand advertises in some magazines is the image that is created if a brand does NOT advertise in a certain magazine. For the readership reading that magazine, the brand will have no relevance and will not be able to change the messaging to those readers. What will remain are preconceived ideas that the consumer will receive from within networks through word of mouth.
Now it gets more complicated than this. A typical Japanese fashion obsessed girl does not read one magazine. They read between three and ten. Each magazine has a very different and distinctive image of its typical readership, set of models, set of brands it displays, and objective. Magazines are categorized into style categories, and certain styles form popular combinations with other styles (i.e. post-gyaru with high fashion). Others are on opposite sides of the spectrum, hard or impossible to align.
Brands must understand that which magazines a brand uses or does not use creates highly complex messages to different consumer groups. The effect heavily contributes to forming the brand image. Ignoring this is to leave a huge part of the development of the brand image up to chance and to dynamics within networks.
So where is the problem for Western brands using Japanese media? Most high end brands advertise selectively in high fashion magazines that give the brand legitimacy, but are not read by the majority of the young consumer audience. They place their brand’s products in magazines advertorials, where the location and style presented has nothing to do with the brand image originating from the country of origin.
Moreover, many high luxury brands advertise and select advertorials only in magazines that are perceived to have a readership of potential buying customers. As Kapferer emphasizes in his book “The Luxury Strategy”: “...don’t advertise to sell”. Luxury brands leave the complex process of building up a brand image among young consumers to chance. They miss out on the opportunity to convey the brand’s story, the narrative, and image to young consumers. Consequently the “akogare” (the looking up to) to the brand is constructed within networks, and does not originate from the brands themselves.
Depth and context are perceived as being minefields for Japanese brands. But foreign luxury brands operate within this context and are mixed in with the Japanese narrative. Broader cultural context could make adoptions of foreign brand narratives difficult. Although they do not do so, Japanese magazines could easily convey messages of heritage, and references to the history of brands or their more complex meanings and statements. Popular Japanese magazines are not interested in brand building and foreign brands do not use them as brand building tools. But if used correctly, magazines in Japan are a highly sophisticated tool for building up brand images. You have only to understand clearly the dynamics.
The life of a brand or its brand image is simply not sustainable without a deep narrative that becomes embedded in the cultural landscape. The question is how to construct a narrative that goes beyond the dichotomy of East/West status markers. How are we to create narratives with depth, intimacy, and relevance that leads to sustainable outcomes?
What we are proposing is that the way to build up a brand image is not exclusively through abstract statements, a relatively foreign concept to Japanese consumers that they readily ignore. Using magazines successfully is about becoming part of the machinery or the flow of the fashion consumption dynamic.
To illustrate: Using a half-Japanese model is a key tactic of Japanese brands. They look foreign enough to enhance the image of the clothing but close enough to the Japanese consumers to send a message of commonality. Also, half-Japanese models tend to be more extroverted, embodying “akogare” (someone to aspire to be like) not for their looks, but their attitude vis-a-vis a highly structured society that leaves women with limited choices. A model such as Hasegawa Jun embodies this “freedom of expression”. Yet foreign brands do not consider the use of half-Japanese or Japanese models for brand building, as it is still considered not appropriate for Japanese or half-Japanese models to represent a brand whose aura is originating from the West. Many Japanese consumers consider Western models as superior to Japanese ones and would lose some sort of respect for the brand as a status symbol if Western brands would use Japanese models for brand advertising. Especially women reading high fashion titles such as Vogue, Sou-en and Spur would not be fond of this. At the same time it is accepted to use Japanese and half-Japanese models in advertorials wearing items from Western brands. In this case the Japanese woman "consumes" the brand, but does not "represent" it. The statement that a Western brand should never let itself down to the point where it "allows" a Japanese woman to represent it is voiced by the majority of Japanese consumers, not by Western observers. The issue seems to be complex and deeply rooted within the roles that Western brands played in the 80s and 90s in Japan and the way Japanese women see themselves vis-a-vis the West.
Japanese magazines use Japanese models (Senzoku system) in order to create sympathy and self-association between readers and models. Japanese OLs and students for the most part have no fantastical aspirations towards the artistic side of fashion. They are happy to see themselves in the shoes of Ebi-chan. Aspiration means seeing yourself in a slightly elevated version of your own reality (standing on tip-toes, “Se no bi o suru”). A heightened version of yourself, basically.
Each magazine’s visual approach not only creates the proper environment for appreciating the clothes/bags, but submerges the reader into a slightly upgraded and aspired to version of his or her own reality. It is verily not an abstract image that creates a complicated personality association. Magazines are a reference point offering basic information. After that you need confirmation from your networks. This is how brands can reach the tipping point to becoming legitimate. When a certain threshold is reached within a group, a tipping point might be reached. What follows then is fast and thorough adoption. We advise brands to think differently, think social, in Japan. You must look for thresholds of tipping points.
Japanese consumers perceive brand images in a different way from Western consumers. The image of who is using a brand - having clear and consistent associations with the right user group - is the most important attribute of a luxury or premium brand in Japan. Japanese fashion lables are very adept and proficient at using the Japanese media and models to create these associations. Foreign brands are often not even aware of the ubiquitous and complex messaging sent out by using certain magazines in favor of others. Further, as import brands they have a stronger role as status markers and therefore operate under different premises than Japanese brands.
Brands have to be aware of their social role in networks in Japan. Unwillingly or not, they participate or are passive participants in a complex and sophisticated game of styles and accessoires that is played by the consumers and the media. Not understanding and influencing these dynamics can be risky, especially on the long run.
Our brand narrative audit performs two important tasks. First it updates a brand on what Japanese consumers really think about it, their conversations. Instead of simply analyzing the status quo, we take a look at the potential of the brand, on how it can be developed for both short-term to impact sales and on the long-term to build a consistent brand image, and for luxury brands, how to create “the dream”, the desire to purchase as the product is yet out of their reach. Second, we explain the dynamics that have led to the present brand image and how the actual media usage influences this.
EXPLAINING CONSTRUCTION OF THE BRAND IMAGE In the Japanese context, brand images, if questioned, often produce opinions about who is considered the main customer, not about the personality or abstract values of the brand. This means that the first immediate image that comes to mind when hearing the brand name is often an image of the perceived customer group. In the surveys that Japan Access has conducted, about 70% of the answers on brand image formulated in own words have been sentences such as "a brand for OLs" or "for mature women", "for students" and not about the the culture or the personality of the brand.
The personality of a brand does not have any real relevance to most social networks of Japanese consumers, and is thus conveniently ignored by magazines and consumers alike. Japanese do not understand abstract brand images. They do not even bother trying to understand it. This is one of the principal reason why brand advertisements do not work well in Japan.
Foreign brands are predominatly consumed as handbags and accessories. Since 1996 when the luxury market hit its peak in Japan, looking at the distribution of market sales, the ratio of clothes went down gradually while the ratio of handbags went up steadily. It is a common pattern now for import handbags to be combined as status or taste markers with Japanese clothing brands and fast fashion (uniqlo, Forever21, H&M), to add a touch of “class”, making the purchase of an expensive bag an economical venture. It is important for foreign luxury brands to understand how their brands are combined with domestic styles. Brands have to navigate under this premise and understand that their brand images and narratives become fractured in Japan, often devoid of any meaning. Their luxury items become status markers, not only of financial wealth but especially signifiers of belonging to social groups.
In Japan, a strong self-image is often built up by giving a consumer a socially safe choice, a choice that is legitimate and has relevance to their lives. Japanese consumers are heavily influenced by the opinion others have about them within their own relevant networks. This might include school, university, the company, their friends and family. Most Japanese are adept at categorizing themselves into style categories, such as gyaru, girly or mote-kei (onee-kei or older sister style). Alone their choice of magazines often makes it possible for themselves or others to judge and define what style segment they belong to. With choosing a style come expectations from other consumers following similar styles. Buying a certain magazine gives others the impression that the person is interested in the specific style promoted by the magazine. Wearing a certain handbag brand does not define your personality in the eyes of others, nor does it make an abstract statement of values, but shows belonging to social groups, of being 'oshare' (trendy, fashion-conscious), or of belonging to a certain life-stage (mature, student). Of course, these messages are not universal and often function only in combination (a certain handbag in combination with certain clothes).
The complexity of the conbinations possible and the grade of understanding them gives others who are adept at reading the signs a grade of understanding how "oshare" the wearer is. In order to be able to judge these signs, consumers have to constantly keep themselves updated by reading magazines, blogs and other sources that "inform" them of actually practiced trends and their possible conbinations. Persons considered oshare by people, who keep themselves informed successfully, are able to navigate safely and easily through the complex system of messages.
The perceived customer of a brand is an image that is often entirely arbitrary, stemming from problematic communication of the brand in the Japanese market, missing relevance to customer groups or not advertising in magazines read by the questioned person. The Japanese are less likely to form a positive self-image about using a brand if the reflection of the brand is not associated with their own peer group, or if the being seen owning the brand has no relevance within their networks. So in order to construct any relevance within a specific network, you need to align the perceived customer group of a brand with the targeted network.
Let us recapture: using abrand causes a social reaction in Japan. So the aspect of the brand when seen owning it is extremely potent. Knowing what others might think of me when I use a brand or wear it, constructs my image of what I believe others will think about me wearing the brand, and thereby constructs my self-image when owning it.
models and the advertising context and contents create the brand personality in the first place in Japan. Brand personalities in Japan are much more versatile, and customers most of the time do not consider it as a big problem if a brand tries to change the brand image. But instead of heavily influencing the brand personality, which Japanese consumers have difficulty relating to, a model influences more the reflection, the relationship and the self-image in Japan. If the model's personality or image can be aligned both with the preferences of the consumer as well as being consistently associated with the style that the consumer has chosen for herself, thereby creating an effect of security, of not making a choice that would be considered out of style or strange, then the brand is considered a relevant brand.
Now we have two proplems. The personality of the model is in most cases not known to the marketing departments of foreign luxury brands as the choice is often made by media agencies with motives that deviate from the goal of creating a consistent brand image (which is a concept that is foriegn to start with for the people that handle the media account). The second problem is that a consistent brand image is not understood in an abstract sense as in the West, of "values" that fit, but is more tangible, like the image of a young woman in a life stage of the consumer as the model and the perceived reflection, who wears it actually.
To summarize, advertising and marketing in Japan should emphasize and explain one thing: who is the brand for? Who will wear it?
Not as much as I thought. There are slight differences between students who say they can't speak English at all or only a little, and the ones who state that they can speak highly advanced or native level English.
Among women with a high English skill level, some brands are rated slightly higher (Prada, Bottega, Coach and Ralph Lauren). The last two were expected outcomes, as they are American brands. Lower rated brands are Chloé and Burberry, Miu Miu and Samantha Thavasa. But the differences are only slight ones (with Burberry being the exception. It is rated much higher among non-speakers). English speakers clearly prefer Omotesando over Shinjuku and do not like Ginza.
The results do show, though, among other categories. If we ask students for who is influencing their shopping behavior and opinion formation, women with high English skills rate the following categories significantly lower: friends, students, people on the street and magazines. Non-no is read less, the self-confident ViVi is read more frequently.
Judging their own personality, as could be expected, English speaking girls rate their own cosmopolitanism, creativity and individualism much higher. They tend to dislike Ebi-Chan and do not think so much that a handbag defines your status. Seken and stability have lower priority to them. They believe much more in upward mobility, will not change their own style so much when becoming a working woman, and do not feel the urge to purchase much more clothes when enetering the workforce. But, foreign brands are more important to them.
Let us summarize. Women with higher English skill level are, as expected, more sophisticated, rejecting the social constraints and, in part, the dependency on social rituals and role models as given to them by mote-kei magazines. They are less influenced by what others think of them. BUT, this does not mean that they shop less, or that their brand choices are so much different. They have been subject to different influences, but the real difference is among how they perceive themselves and why they shop. Learn English and shop with self-confidence and for yourself. English skills are not an exit strategy out of the consumer mania, they just change your attitude.
In case you always wondered what the exact difference is between Ray and JJ readers (two mote-kei magazine titles). JJ readers consider themselves to be more creative, tend to dislike cheap brands such as Samantha Thavasa and F21 (also a lower ranking for Coach, the mainstream brand number one) more than Ray readers and are more fond of Bottega Venetta and Marc Jacobs. A dislike for Ikebukuro and higher rankings for Isetan hint at a slighlty more sophisticated taste. The usual connection between Zara/sophisticated and F21/less sophisticated can also be seen here. Interesting is also the fact that JJ readers read more ViVi than Ray readers. Ray is the typical magazine for university students. It has a good image with boys, the clothes are considered "safe" and cheap, also very easy to incorporate into your wardrobe. JJ is slightly more mature than Ray, the clothes have more class.
Now let us compare Ray and CanCam. Here we find something intreresting. There is nearly no difference in readership. Two things can be seen (if you really look for something): CanCam readers dislike F21 more than Ray readers, and think of themselves as slightly more creative. They also tend to read less post-gyaru titles such as Sweet and ViVi. The brand choices, preference of shopping districts and even the evaluation of what makes a luxury product, are identical to the point where it gets scary.
In case you have always wondered, who are those students who love Louis Vuitton so much? Are there profound differences to the average student among elite universities? In the case of Burberry, we can say, no. Burberry lovers blend in. Completely. There was not one statistically significant difference, only that they tend to shop a little bit more often in Ginza than the rest of the crowd. And tend to read more CanCam. But the mighty brand from Paris? Here we see another picture.
Before we go into the details, lets start with the most prominent differences. LV lovers, they tend to value more highly the following brands (in that order): Gucci and Dior, and D&G (who would have thought that?). Brands are rated higher in general, but Samantha Thavasa is rated more highly, too. The brands that are not rated better are Paul Smith, Ralph Lauren, Commes des Garcon and YSL. The only statistical significant difference in where they shop is Shibuya and Shibuya 109. They read more ViVi, CanCam and the other mote-key titles such as JJ and Ray, and also Non-no (+11%). Famous people and celebrities play a stronger role in their opinion formation, and (!) they admit that widespread brand recognition and the fact that everybody has the same brand play a role in their purchase decision of a luxury brand.
When it comes to the way they judge their own personality, they say they judge women by their handbag, they want to be more trendy than the average student, and they value brands highly in general. Ebi-Chan is rated above average, as is the desire to buy more when becoming a working woman.
As Hermes is also rated higher than average, we can see clear status consumption, and aspiration towards celebrities. Further we see gyaru influences, and a fixation on strong and recognizable brands. Are we surprised with the results? D&G did surprise me, actually.
Now, to prove the fact that it actually does not really matter if it is LV or Gucci, the other status brand that you tend to buy in high school when even the most fashion-unconscious girl sitting next to you takes out her brand wallet during class, lets take a look at the differences of Gucci lovers and LV lovers.
It is almost scary. There is no difference. The only apparent visible difference is less Gyaru influence, meaning less fondness for Shibuya 109 and a better average evaluation for Ginza. the choices of magazines are exactly (!) the same. Analyzing the profiles in more detail leaves me with a very vague suspicion that Gucci lovers are from households with a little bit more money and older mothers who tend to shop more in Ginza and Omotesando Hills. The differences are not strong, though.
Discovering small details is the benefit of doing part of the data entry yourself. Filtering results for a few hours and seeing patterns in opinion formation among students. Magazines in Japan have distinct personalities. As with persons, analyzing them more thoroughly can yield interesting results. What is the difference between JJ and Ray from a brand consumption aspect? If you read ViVi, what other magazines do you read? What combination of magazines represents best the main stream?
VIVI READERS. Let us take an example to illustrate the details you might be able to deduct from filtering. Women who read ViVi number 130 out of a sample of 553 female students, average age 20,2. Their rating of handbag represents the main stream opinion of young Japanese, with 1) Hermes, 2) Chanel, 3) LV and Prada together, 5) Gucci and 6) Bottega. No big surprises here.
brand images (+2 very positive, 0 neutral, -2 very negative): 1) Chloe 1,2 2) Miu Miu 1,2 3) Marc Jacobs 1,2 4) Dior, Prada and Chanel with 1,0 7) LV, Gucci and YSL with 0,9. Louis Vuitton does make it into the top 10, which is not the case for the overall sample of 553 women. Armani scores lowest among the European power brands, while it has to be noted that many Japanese take Emporio as the representation for the brand image and not Giorgi Armani. Popular fast fashion brands are uniqlo and Zara with 0,8, Gap scores lowest with 0,3.
Shopping districts: 1) Shinjuku leads with 1,4 2) Shibuya 1,2 3) Harajuku and Omotesando 1,1 5) Ginza with 0,7 6) Daikanyama and Ikebukuro with 0,6
What we have here is the new main stream. ViVi and Sweet readers, post-gyaru style, otona kawaii (mature and cute) as represented by Rinka, the 36 year highly popular model who just recently got married. With 48.764 members in the mixi community (a Japanes SNS), Rinka is far outshining once so popular Ebi-Chan (Yuri Ebihara) with 28.774 members. ViVi gets a membership of 29.113 while CanCam scores 25.929. Magazine sales also pinpoint the change from mote-kei (the style to attract a man) towards the more sexy otona-kawaii style (individual sexy style, not to directly attract men, more a statement of a girl's individuality, fashion for fun, taking the "cute" attitude and your own style into adulthood).
A very elegant and decent brand building commercial by Louis Vuitton. One sentence strikes me: "A journey does not only show us the world, but how we fit in." If there is one aspect that luxury companies have neglected in Japan, then it is the cultural context, to study the setting, the broader context, societal rules, finer shades of meaning and semiotics. Luxury is social, it is cultural. Brands tend to ignore cultural changes and the meanings that brands can construct within them. "As long as it works, ..." the message of A CEO from a luxury company selling with great success in the Japanese market. But why does it work? What does this mean? What do customers think about your brand, about your products? If you would ask ten companies if they are sure about what their own customers are really thinking about them, what associations they connect with the brand, you would probably get ten negative responses. Marketing experts in Japan tend to guess. They give up on the possibility to really understand the dynamics that govern luxury consumption in Japan.
Understanding what position the customer holds in the brand image, what he thinks and feels when purchasing, what impression a customer has when she clings to her bag to provide her with social security, with acceptance within her peer group network... There are many opinions, many surveys that barely scratch the surface due to organizational constraints. Nearly no one makes the effort to ask the customer. Directly. Focus groups are not the same as engaging in conversations.
Luxury brands should take the journey themselves, into the shopping jungle of Tokyo. Enter Lumine in Shinjuku with a student and ask her to describe which shop means what to which customer. Ask the office lady during lunch time, in which shopping district she shops for her favorite brand bag and why she is not fond anymore of LV or Gucci, but now prefers Chloé and Marc Jacobs. Ask her why. Ask her when it happened. Ask her what her friends are thinking, what magazines they read. Enter their minds. Find out, discover where your brands are positioned in the world of your customer. Make the journey.
There is a way to enter the minds of Japanese consumers, to engage them with the brand, to make the brand part of their lifestyles, thoughts and dreams. To do so, you have to understand the journeys they want to take, the daily cultural patterns, their dreams and the power of social gratification and stratification at work every day, through all age groups and parts of society. There are patterns that want to be discovered. Don't spend your time in the office. Start the day as a marketing expert by drinking coffee in Omotesando, watch people, talk to them, engage them. Say goodbye to corporate structure and educate yourself, taking the best source available: the consumers.
Accessing wealthy clients and marketing to rich people in Japan represents a major challenge. In a shrinking market, knowing how to deal with affluent consumers who often form the solid base for a brand, can become an essential asset. In order to understand how rich people spend, it is important to understand brand images. Japan Access will conduct a study which is the first to take a detailed look on the way HNWIs in Japan perceive luxury brands, hotel brands, high-class travel agencies and concierge services.
The specificity of the survey is summarized in the following points: - We are accessing a network of 7,000 HNWIs which was built up over a course of 8 years through personal interaction by a Japanese HNWI specialist. The relationship of trust that our Japanese business partner has with those rich Japanese enables the execution of the survey. - The length of the survey would normally make it impossible to make HNWIs answer it (it takes longer than 1 hour to fill out). In our case, the HNWIs have agreed to support our study and invest their time to provide us with detailed information on their consumer behavior. - Sensitive data (assets, income, real estate ownership), that was accumulated over the course of 8 years, will be connected to the information we will gather through the survey. The results will be anonymised in order to protect the privacy of the respondents. - The survey includes hand-written essays, hand-written statements on brand perceptions, and a personality analysis. - We are able to interview and survey the same individuals again, making it possible to construct longitudinal studies.
We selected 500 individuals from the 7,000 HNWIs resulting in the demographics shown in the figure HNWI_SURVEY SAMPLE.
Instead of constructing the questions based solely on our own expertise, we welcome the input of industry experts.
Through a cooperation of the industry with our researchers, it would be possible to create a win-win situation. Parties who are highly interested in questioning Japanese HNWIs will be able to influence the questionnaire to fit their specific needs. We would be able to get a clearer picture of what questions are of high value and relevance to the industry.
The following table provides more details on the categories of the questionnaire and which specific questions we are planning to include.
Fashion magazines in Japan are not an objective review of market offerings based on expert analysis nor are they about statements. They are sources of raw information expertly selected, following a set of seasonally changing rules within a given subculture – an authoritative source of information. It is a practical top-down legitimization of fashion brands, and how to coordinate and wear them.
The complexity of the combinations possible and the grade of understanding them gives others who are adept at reading the signs a grade of understanding how "oshare" the wearer is or what social group she belongs to. In order to be able to judge these signs, consumers of social segments have to constantly keep themselves updated by reading magazines, blogs and other sources that "inform" them of actually practiced trends and their possible combinations. A person considered oshare by people who keep themselves informed successfully, is able to navigate safely and easily through the complex system of messages.
Now it gets more complicated than this. A typical Japanese fashion obsessed girl does not read one magazine. They read between three and ten. Each magazine has a very different and distinctive image of its typical readership, set of models, set of brands it displays, and objective. Magazines are categorized into style categories, and certain styles form popular combinations with other styles (i.e. post-gyaru with high fashion). Others are on opposite sides of the spectrum, hard or impossible to align.
