Marin Sakata: Fashion of the Generation Z Living in "Showa 99"

It has been 35 years since the Showa era ended. During this time, YouTube and Netflix have risen to prominence, replacing television, and social media has become the center of information dissemination. It is said that the Reiwa era marks the age of generative AI and spatial computing.

Amidst this, the "Showa era" is once again gaining attention. Two-screen movie theaters, traditional coffee shops, vinyl records, public payphones, and public baths. In the vintage clothing market, not only are classic Americana and military styles present, but the "Showa retro" genre has also emerged. The ones responding to this trend seem to be the Z generation born in the Heisei era.

One notable "Showa era" enthusiast is influencer and artist Marin Sakata, known for her passionate love for the Showa era. She chooses hot spring resorts in Atami as locations for her photo collections and is committed to shooting entirely with film cameras.

In Fashion Tech News, we interviewed her particularly from the perspective of fashion, asking her about the allure of "Showa" that is being revived as the latest trend.

The Fashion Icon is "Sukeban"

I saw on social media that your interest in "Showa era" started when you listened to a record at your grandmother's house in the second year of middle school. Could you tell us more about your "encounter with Showa"?

My fascination with Showa began with the record player at my grandmother's house. She taught me, "When you drop the needle, sound comes out," and I was so captivated by hearing The Checkers' "Song for U.S.A." (1986) for the first time, not understanding the meaning at all (laughs). After that, I started buying analog records with my allowance.

Gradually, my interests expanded beyond music to include comics, movies, and fashion during my middle school years. This was a few years before I began my current activities.

When did you start wearing clothes with a Showa aesthetic?

It was after I entered high school. At that time, I loved "Be-Bop High School" (1983-2003) and really wanted to go to school in a long skirt like the heroine, Junko. However, the length of the skirt in my school uniform wasn't sufficient, so I ended up sewing together summer and winter skirts to create my own.

My grandmother was puzzled and asked, "Why do you need to make the skirt so long?" but she helped me. I remember coming up with excuses like, "The teacher said it was still too short" (laughs).

During student years, many people might hold back from expressing their unique appearance or behavior. Did you feel any anxiety about sticking to your preferences during your student days?

Of course, I did. At that time, the trendy style at school was to wear miniskirts with short patterned socks. I was definitely scared of being bullied if I showed up in a Sukeban-like outfit.

However, what was stronger was the feeling of "It's okay if I'm disliked; I want to do what I love." Seeing the protagonists in yankee manga freely doing what they wanted made me feel embarrassed. I thought, "How lame it is to only care about what others think."

Yet, when I actually went to school, my classmates surprisingly found it amusing. Instead of being seen as a delinquent, I was perceived more as a "Showa otaku." So, I believe those reading this article should go ahead and pursue what they love without hesitation.

However, that long skirt received a warning on the second day and was banned. I tried to resist saying, "The school rules don’t say 'don't make your skirt longer,'" but... it didn’t work (laughs).

Where Can You Buy Bubble Suits?

Afterward, I started to enjoy Showa-style fashion outside of school.

Yes. During high school, I spent my part-time job earnings on Showa items. What I particularly love is the fashion from the 80s Bubble Era of Showa. Especially the bubble suits with large shoulder pads, paired with mini skirts and high heels.

Instead of monochrome, I like outfits with sharp colors, which look incredibly beautiful when captured with a film camera. I admired figures like Momoe Yamaguchi, Akina Nakamori, and Chisato Moritaka...

The Showa era lasted 64 years, a very long period. Is it fair to say that you particularly love the Bubble Era?

That's right. However, even though I’ve looked through old magazines to see what clothes were worn back then and asked my family about it, there aren't any stores selling bubble suits now (laughs). I used to wear clothes that my family had, but I wanted to buy my own.

Finally, I found them not at specialized vintage shops but at a recycling store. The first bubble suit I bought was hidden among the items in a wagon labeled “One Coin Corner” at Treasure Factory. I was so moved when I found it. I thought, “It was here all along.”

Since then, the recycling store's wagons became like treasure chests for me. After school, I would separate from my friends and go straight to the recycling shop to search for clothes. I think every outfit was under 1,000 yen.

The item that was the hardest to find was...

Shoes! It was challenging to find my size. I wanted red high heels, but it took me several years to get them.

Recently, I've been using flea market apps like Mercari a lot. Just browsing the clothes on offer can make three hours fly by. There are also tips for searching on flea market apps, and the search words are essential. It's almost impossible to search by brand name (laughs). Maybe “Yves Saint Laurent” is one exception.

Primarily, I search using terms like “Showa suit,” “bubble suit,” or “bodycon suit.” The term “at the time” also brings up good finds. I've developed my own way of searching like this.

Since you started embracing Showa-style fashion, how have those around you reacted?

My aunts have been very supportive (laughs). I often get comments like, “Oh, what a beautiful color!” which might remind them of the clothes they used to wear back then.

As for my family... they’re not so enthusiastic. Since I buy so many Showa outfits, my room has become a “costume room,” and they say “I feel a strong presence from that room, like a grudge from the person who wore those clothes.”

Once, I tried sleeping in that room and experienced sleep paralysis for the first time in my life. It felt like I saw a stranger's legs hanging from the ceiling. Since then, I haven't slept in the costume room...