About us
About Kawaii Cloth:
Kawaii Cloth is a print on demand clothing brand that offers cute t-shirts and casual wear for fans of Harajuku fashion. We offer casual clothes that can either be coordinated with your preferred sub-culture fashion, or worn as an alternative to "ordinary" everyday wear for when the situation calls for you to not be dressed to the nines in your usually preferred frills or accessories.
Our Mission:
Our goal is to provide you with everyday clothes for your day-to-day needs, but without putting aside who you are to do it. By offering ordinary, everyday products with that kawaii aesthetic, you can wear clothes that are functional without sacrificing that part that makes you feel like you.
About the Founder:
My name is Shelby Smith. I have been a fan of Lolita fashion since 2014, and have been wearing Lolita since 2015. I lived in Japan, about an hour's train ride away from Harajuku, from 2016-2018, and spent a lot of time walking this famous district's streets. Now for me, kawaii fashion feels like I'm in a place that I belong, and that Harajuku aesthetic just feels like home.
Why I started Kawaii Cloth:
Most people who like Harajuku fashion don’t always go for a plain t-shirt, and I prefer wearing cute fashion as much as possible, but some situations call for something different than a dress. Office picnic and sports days, gardening, or working out usually calls for me to pull out my more boring, but practical t-shirts I've accumulated, usually from work or random organizations, and forego the enjoyment I get from my wardrobe. It feels like you're losing your self-identity a bit when this happens. And now that I, and everyone else, are staying at home nowadays, practical is becoming more commonplace. But why does practical always seem to translate to boring, or normal?
I started Kawaii Cloth as a way to take back this self-identity and to feel at home again. Harajuku fashion is a sub-culture of inclusion, acceptance, and self-expression. If you can't express yourself, you can't feel like yourself. Expressing who you are is an important part in loving who that person is. Wearing Harajuku inspired clothing helps you to connect to a beautiful community that doesn’t care that you’re different, but rather embraces you and your differences.
I draw all of my graphics myself and use print on demand services for the products in my store. My hope for Kawaii Cloth is to provide you with not only a new, fun place to get clothes from, but also a new place to find that sense of community and a feeling that you belong.