We’ve all watched enough horror movies to have an inbred fear of dolls. Whether they are of the plastic or china variety, one thing never changes; we don’t know what they get up to whilst we’re dreaming away in our beds.
Like the majority of people, I was exposed to horror movies at an all too tender age. I recall rocking back and forth after my elder siblings subjected me to veritable classics such as The Exorcist and The Ring. And as you can expect, it was never worth it – I was inevitably subject to night terror after night terror.
If you grew up in the early 00’s you’ll probably remember watching cult horrors such as Scream and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre at sleepovers. And though those are all terrifying in their own right, I believe that I was placed at a distinct disadvantage. Having older siblings, I was made to watch some of the gnarlier slashers of the 70’s and 80’s – instead of Jigsaw and Hannibal Lector, I got Jason, and… the dreaded Chucky.
I’m not completely sure where my distaste for dolls stemmed from, but some of the blame has to be laid on horror films where the antagonist is a rather terrifying looking doll. There’s just something about their stretched smiles, glassy eyes and perpetually rosy cheeks that never fails to give me goosebumps.
You can imagine, then, how distressed I was to learn that the people of Japan have been subjected to a human doll that has been wandering the streets of Tokyo…
Whilst it’s rather natural to assume that this must be part of a marketing campaign for an upcoming horror franchise, in this instance, you’re unfortunately incorrect.
Japanese fashion designer, Hitomi Komaki came up with the supposedly ingenious idea to plague the citizens of Tokyo with a living, breathing human doll.
Often surprising passersby who are going about their daily routine in the Japanese capital, Lulu Hashimoto is a human being that is clad in a full-body doll costume replete with a wig, mask and stockings.
According to her maker, 23-year-old Hitomi Komaki, Lulu Hashimoto is the first “living doll model” to be made. She was created out of the designer’s aspiration to construct the “epitome of cuteness”.
Speaking of her long-reigning interest in dolls, Hitomi said, “I have always really liked dolls and for me, the epitome of cuteness is dolls”:
“Many people call my project a fetish, but for me it’s not a fetish, but fashion […] it’s like wearing nice clothes or putting on false eyelashes to become cuter.”
“Kigurumi” is a type of cosplay wherein people use masked character costumes to “play” fictional characters in real life. Although this is a popular pursuit in Japanese culture, Hiromi has taken it to new heights. Lulu’s costume features airbrushed doll-esque joints, which not only allows the wearer to appear as “doll-like” as possible, but doesn’t restrict their movement once inside the suit.
Lulu’s identity has remained a closely guarded secret, but Hiromi has revealed that she has had a variety of different wearers, including dancers, models and designers.
The people of Japan and beyond have been left captivated by Hiromi’s creation. Lulu Hashimoto boasts an Instagram following of over 12.6K and her legion of fans diligently turn up to any event where she is expected to make an appearance.
But she is only just now taking her first steps out of Japanese subculture. Lulu has been chosen as one of 134 semi-finalists in the Miss iD beauty pageant, which saw over 4,000 applicants this year. The prestigious pageant allows non-human characters that are generated by artificial intelligence and three-dimensional computer graphics to compete, leading the way for more challenging and subversive conceptions of “beauty” within the strict world of such pageantry.
Hiromi collaborated with fellow fashion designer, Koh Ueno to create Lulu. Ueno created the stockings that the doll wears and was also responsible for airbrushing on her doll-like joints.
Speaking about the experience, the artist said, “I want to see women wear these stockings and transform […] I want them to experience the extraordinary – to become otherworldly, artificial, or like a doll.”
Whilst seeing Lulu Hashimoto out and about on the streets would scare me and you senseless, it’s evident that Hiromi’s creation is, first and foremost, a work of art.
In any case, we may have to get over our fear of dolls stat, as Lulu is only growing in popularity, and come November she may be everywhere.
Read more: viralthread
