In an era where terms like "girly" and "lycéenne" have faded, we present the light of "kawaii"! Enjoy a sophisticated, fashion-forward girl beyond mere cuteness!

Hello. I am Toru Kitahara, Head of OPENERS Higashi-Nakano View. It's a pleasure to be here. Today, I'd like to share my thoughts on shooting for the brand ＜COMME des GARÇONS GIRL＞, featured in issue 14 of the magazine "PLEASE," which I've curated.

I recall fashion magazines from the past, where a single photograph held a world of romance. It was an era when Japan still had a passion for fashion storytelling. Inspired by those times, perhaps in a spirit of regression, I launched "PLEASE," a print magazine, four and a half years ago.

Someone once said, "Most indie magazines fold after two or three issues. Four is a success."

The question of how many issues we could sustain might have lingered in the back of my mind, but stronger was the resolve to "continue as long as we can." There's no looking back. It's a philosophy for moving forward.

Just recently, "PLEASE" reached its 14th issue. This time, we faced unprecedented challenges due to the pandemic. We proceeded with shoots thoughtfully and deliberately.

Let's discuss the theme "Two girls are Sisters," featuring dazzling tartan checks. This series, which continues to photograph lycée-inspired subjects, allows us to freely coordinate items from COMME des GARÇONS GIRL.

For this issue, we focused on a page built around an all-check ensemble: a shrunk tartan check dress, a matching tartan check set-up, and a check shirt. While coordinating, I found myself murmuring about "Checker's" (a famous Japanese band known for checks), but the fresh impression it gave encouraged me to embrace it. The red fabric with white dots might evoke a certain character, but it was the result of pursuing cuteness.

While coordinating, I was reminded of Kyoko Koizumi's song "Makkana Onna no Ko" (Bright Red Girl). Both Checker's and Kyoko Koizumi were icons of the 80s. And I loved the magazine "Olive," published by Heibon Publishing (now Magazine House) in the 80s. The term "Tokyo Lycéenne" found there was also a powerful phrase for girls. In that era, even the word "girl" itself seemed dazzling.

I believe that continuing to feature COMME des GARÇONS GIRL is profoundly important and precious to me. It's important because, as a photographer and stylist, I find great significance in continuously creating a theme. And it's precious because it offers a valuable opportunity to engage with this brand on equal footing.

I aspire to be told that when it comes to creating "girly" pages, I am unmatched. My love, passion, and pure devotion for these pages are at an exceptionally high concentration.

The process of capturing the clean world of a girl on the cusp of adulthood, with the combination of a white blouse and navy bottoms, into a single "emotion" that is a photograph, is utterly endearing. Yes, a photograph is an emotion!

Today's high school girls are, of course, lovely. But where have all the stylish girls of the 80s gone? I find myself wanting to signal the revival of girlhood with images of girls jumping or riding bicycles. (To be continued in the next installment about other pages)