1995: The first publication of egg and the birth of the “kogyaru” subculture

In the post-economic bubble burst Japan, the ones who contributed to the success of egg in its early stage were not professional model, but high school girls who used to get together in Shibuya. A series which featured snap photos of those girls taken in the streets of Shibuya gained great popularity. These girls turned into reader models (non-professional models who are also readers of the magazine), and the fad of the kogyaru fashion style (the term “kogyaru” refers to school-age gyaru who incorporate their school uniforms into their fashion style) quickly spread.

Characteristics of kogyaru ・Tanned wheat-color ・Makeup characterized by thin eyebrows and blue eyeshadow ・Brown dyed long hair

The Shibuya-born kogyaru subculture drew tremendous attention 株式会社 大洋図書／egg編集部

During the same period, egg helped spread another huge fad throughout Japan—the “Amuraa” style, which was influenced by singer Namie Amuro. In every issue, the magazine had a detailed section on how to be an Amuraa, imparting every little technique including makeup tutorials, what to tell your hairdressers, and how to tie shoelaces.

Characteristics of Amuraa ・Slightly bright brown hair ・Healthy-looking tanned skin ・Thin and slightly long eyebrows with a soft arch ・Short, checkered pleated skirts with a center crease ・Knee-high boots

The Amura style took Japan by storm 株式会社 大洋図書／egg編集部

1998-1999: The shocking “ganguro” and “yamanba” styles In these years, egg predominantly featured girls with really dark tan, extravagant makeup, and golden hair—the beginning of a new fad called “ganguro” (“gan” means “face,” and “guro” means “black/dark”). During this period, the magazine used many pages for detailed instructions on unique techniques, such as a how-to on UV lights and flamboyant updo hairstyles, that had never been seen before in any other fashion magazines.

Characteristics of ganguro ・Golden hair ・Strongly tanned dark ・Thick and extravagant makeup with white eyeshadow ・Wear long, white slouchy socks with school uniforms ・Chunky boots

The pages featuring ganguro girls drew so much attention 株式会社 大洋図書／egg編集部

In 1999, the ganguro style further evolved into a more radical style called “yamanba,” whose literal translation would be “a mountain hag,” and egg put a big spotlight on this new style. The yamanba style spread across Japan after the magazine introduced the looks of the charismatic staff members of popular shops in Shibuya 109.

Characteristics of yamanba ・Platinum blonde and silver hair colors ・Even darker than that of ganguro ・Wide white makeup around the eyes ・Excessive highlighter on the nasal ridge and cheeks ・Chunky boots

The mind-blowing yamanba style makeup 株式会社 大洋図書／egg編集部

Also, during this period, a type of dance called “para para” became a fad, and egg had a dance lecture section in every issue. The magazine also introduced “gyaru moji” (a unique gyaru writing style), and it drew attention as a new way of communication.

2000s: Diversification and deepening of the gyaru subculture And in the 2000s, egg saw a significant change, impacted by the diversification in young people’s fashion styles. New styles such as “shiro gyaru” (meaning “white or pale gyaru”), who have skin colors completely opposite of those of the previous gyaru styles, and “hime gyaru” (meaning “princess gyaru”), who use a lot of frills and ribbons, were established and formed a part of the new gyaru fashion world.

Characteristics of shiro gyaru ・White, porcelain-like makeup ・Gradient eyeshadow ・Short hair with light colors ・Mini dresses that emphasize the body shape ・Leopard print accessories ・Mobile phones decked out with sparkling decorations

Characteristics of hime gyaru ・Flawless, porcelain-like skin ・Pinkish eyeshadow ・Tops with many ribbons and laces ・Frilled one-pieces with pastel colors ・Flowy tulle skirts ・Curled hair and showy hairstyles, colors, and decorations

New styles such as shiro gyaru and hime gyaru came into the gyaru scene 株式会社 大洋図書／egg編集部

Furthermore, during the 2010s, the gyaru subculture saw a major turning point due to the rapid growth of the fast fashion industry and to the diversification in young people’s values. Shibuya ceased to be the epicenter of the gyaru subculture, and the egg magazine was discontinued. However, in 2018, egg restarted as an online magazine. With that, the gyaru subculture spread across Japan once again, helping people build new communities online.

The final issue of egg before its discontinuation—the gyaru styles diversified with time クレジット：株式会社 大洋図書／egg編集部

The Reiwa era—the emergence of a new gyaru style Gyaru in recent years are called Reiwa gyaru. In 2020, paper-based egg came back in response to the strong demand from gyaru across Japan. The new egg curates and shares what’s new in the scene by checking the content that models put out on social media and other media and by identifying things in common among gyaru.

Characteristics of Reiwa gyaru ・Use of foundation for a flawless, radiant look ・Natural-looking shading for contouring ・Brownish colored contact lenses ・Glittering undereye makeup ・Use of lipsticks for plump and glossy lips ・Clean style ・Makeup that does not go too overboard

Moreover, a new concept called “gyaru mindset” came about. It expanded the interpretation of what it is to be gyaru beyond their appearance and began regarding gyaru as the positive and progressive mindset itself. At the same time, other types of new gyaru, such as genderless gyaru that are not bound by the image of traditional gyaru, are also emerging.

The gyaru fashion has always been evolving, and will continue to evolve クレジット：株式会社 大洋図書／egg編集部

The many different styles featured in egg is continuing to have a tremendous impact on the contemporary Japanese fashion scene while always evolving with time. Come experience the Japanese gyaru mindset! (Information as of November 2024)

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