EVENT | Awards ceremony for the "Alice in Wonderland" hat design contest held.

Alice in Wonderland Blu-ray / DVD Release Celebration

Hat Design Contest Awards Ceremony Held

To commemorate the release of the Blu-ray/DVD for Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland," starring Johnny Depp, an awards ceremony for the "Hat Design Contest"—which accepted entries from June 9 to July 12—was held on August 4, the Blu-ray/DVD release date. Guests wearing the winning designs appeared, including TV personalities JOY and his sister Sophia, and enka singer Maya Sakura. Hat designer Misao Harada, who served as a special judge, also flew in from London for the event and took the stage as a presenter.

Text by OPENERS

JOY & Sophia: A First-Time Collaboration Wearing Hats Inspired by "Wonderland"

"Alice in Wonderland" is a hit film that garnered over $1 billion in worldwide box office revenue. It is a work in which the visionary director Tim Burton pays his unique homage to "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," a beloved story cherished for 140 years, by depicting a completely new "world after Alice's story."

The "Hat Design Contest" received 96 entries from across the country. JOY, Sophia, and Maya Sakura showcased a hat fashion show wearing the award-winning designs.

Sophia appeared in a red dress, complementing a winning entry (designed by Aki Hirose) that featured playing card soldiers of the Queen of Hearts. Sophia commented on the design, "It felt so far removed from everyday life; while looking at it, I felt like I had wandered into Wonderland myself."

Maya Sakura, making her modeling debut, presented a confident walk in a pink dress, paired with a particularly imaginative hat (designed by Ichika) featuring Alice and mushrooms, themed "Inside Someone's Hat." She received the misaharada Special Award. "It was my first show, so I was nervous, but I enjoyed it," she shared.

Finally, JOY appeared wearing the Grand Prix winning design (created by Yurika Hayami), conceptualized as a "transforming hat," bringing the venue to a crescendo.