Gyaru (ギャル) is a Japanese translation of the English word, “girl” and is one of many branches of Japanese fashion. Gyaru originated in the Shibuya district of Tokyo, Japan in the mid-90s. Popularized by bleach blonde hair, tanned skin, and contrasting frosted makeup, the gyaru fashion became the newest trend to organically hit streets. While there are several inspirations behind driving the style forward, Okinawan-born superstar Namie Amuro is said to be one of the first charismatic idols that inspired gyaru to don chunky platform shoes paired with micro-mini skirts during this era of time. Other inspirations included 90s supermodels and celebrities from overseas that either had a sleek club-going New York-style look or opted for a laid-back Los Angeles beach babe style. 

The dying department store Shibuya 109 saw a massive influx in sales when the boutique penned as “MeJane” opened its doors. Gyaru of this time period found appeal in their infamous palm tree print among many other tropical resort-style clothing that made its followers look like they loitered around the warm, sandy beaches of islands all day everyday instead of the crowded, concrete jungles of Tokyo. Other brands such as Alba Rosa equally became popularized given its brand concept as well. Many gyaru donned various 109 boutique brands, thus positively impacting the department stores sales in a time period that was facing financial hardship after the 80s bubble economy burst. Shibuya 109 was then solidified as one of the most iconic department stores to make a trek to in Japan, even to this very day. 

Outside of Amuro being a huge 90s icon, many brand shop staff became the women that gyaru looked up to when it came to looking their best. Charisma shop staff often not only sold clothes but became part time models for brands and magazines all the time while becoming older sisters to the younger generation of aspiring gyaru all across Japan. Socially two crowds of gyaru existed. The easy going (and occasionally well-off) college gals that often hung around clubs that their teamer boyfriends often promoted and the kogyaru with older boyfriends (or perhaps brothers) who also hung around Shibuya either sneaking into clubs, taking print club photos, applying free makeup samples, or going to karaoke to pass time. While many older gyaru donned brand name wear as a trend-worthy status symbol, many of their little sisters used MeJane and Alba Rosa shopping bags as a way to flex to their fellow peers that they too were part of the 109 brand loyalty craze. 

Gyaru hopped from one trend to the next through socializing through word-of-mouth as the media scrambled to document the Heisei-era’s new “it-girls”. Previously donning the slogan “Hyper-Idol Station”, Egg magazine shifted its focus towards gyaru fashion by 1997 due to its popularity, changing its sub-header to, “Get Wild and be Sexy”. Several other magazines either followed or were birthed due to the new gyaru revolution such as Popteen, Ranzuki, StoNew (previously Tokyo Street News), and Ego System around the late nineties into the early two-thousands. Each magazine uniquely documented the everyday lives of their models and readers by conducting polls on popular brand name items that were trending, creating street maps of Shibuya’s popular hangout spots, and producing helpful hair and makeup tutorials that were guidelines to compliment the trends that were dominating the market for that up and coming fashion season. More importantly, each magazine took street snaps of real-life gyaru out in the wild. This encouraged many to dress their best in hopes of being scouted by magazine photographers in search of the latest trend or the next big charisma model for their publication. 

As time went on, gyaru fashion not only had a revolution but also an evolution. As trends progressed, so did the style. Gyaru branched off into two categories by the early two-thousands. One direction led gyaru towards a bolder and brighter style that was used as a way to both dictate and deter. Manba/Yamanba/Banba substyles were a dictation to the public that what was cute may be only seen as cute amongst fellow gyaru all while deterring the mainstream from harassing or looking too shallowly at the lifestyle and fashion as a whole. The popularization of club-scouted Avex idols such as Ayumi Hamasaki led to the other shift in gyaru fashion. This trend route was popularly taken by followers of Popteen especially and focused on celebrity worship both domestically as it did internationally. Shiro gyaru, girly, onee, and “early 00s seiso” gyaru style became an attainable alternative for those who identified with a more cute, glamorous, or mature lifestyle and aesthetic. It's important to note that either route in gyaru fashion was perfectly acceptable and maintained the integrity of the message behind the movement. All gyaru (regardless of style or lifestyle) embraced having fun, aspiring to be the best possible version of yourself, and more importantly, valued saying shit with your entire chest. All of these qualities were traits that outsiders stereotyped as being someone who acted like or was a gyaru even if it was from the place of it being a part of the “ gyaru mind” or having  “gyaru mindset” based on the fun, laidback, but honest vibe that gyaru (and gyaruo) had. There was value in them living honestly…towards others and to themselves! 

By the mid-two-thousands, trends diversified and evolved yet again. Several more brands and magazines solidified to the public that gyaru fashion wasn’t going anywhere and appealed to an even wider set of people. A glamorous and hyper-feminine boom occurred as gyaru graduated into their mid-twenties and beyond when they gained more spending power with the professions that they obtained. Everyday gyaru (beyond the world of shop staff and charisma models) often opted for working within either the beauty industry or the nightlife scene. These professions were very popular given that both permitted gyaru to retain their image and lifestyle. Due to this popularization of everything glamorous and girly, Egg’s older sister magazine Happie Nuts, created an experimental two-issue publication titled, Koakuma & Nuts in 2006. The first two mooks were proven to be extremely successful amongst their readers, and thus, Koakuma Ageha was serialized into a monthly publication. By the late two-thousands, gyaru fashion had massively boomed domestically and internationally. Major publishers all had their own version of a gyaru-centric magazine and gyaru-brands branched out way beyond the borders of Shibuya. Charisma models were huge brand ambassadors. Gyaru were featured on variety show programs or had acting and musical careers. Others became the face for bubble gums, hair dyes, CD covers, PuriKura booths, and the like. Several models even created their own businesses by launching personal makeup brands and clothing lines that fans religiously followed. 

By the twenty-tens, the bubble eventually burst. Gyaru faced a major decline in popularity that could be attributed to several different reasons depending on whom you would ask. Many idols and models alike would graduate from gyaru or cater to a gyaru following. Magazines also would eventually shift their reader demographic or cease publication entirely due to trending changes or there being a lack of interest suddenly. Without models from the magazines to push the fashion boutiques, many brands ended up being affected and had to close shop.. While gyaru never truly fully died, gyaru was affected by a variety of different factors. This domino effect created a huge monopolization towards gyaru and what was deemed as “gyaru” and who had control over what was made for gyaru. Many people tried to push only the “gyaru mind” as to what was accepted as gyaru rather than encourage integrity behind gyaru that made it truly what it was. Information about gyaru would be skewed through utterances of hearsay like a long drawn-out game of telephone. Many media resources that had helped immortalize gyaru history in the Heisei-era were lost. Websites and blogs that were once used as important references for others had shut down. This left much of the information about gyaru in a state of limbo up to a certain point. 

However, this is what will make Gal Revo special. This website’s purpose is to be a hub that commemorates what gyaru was and what gyaru still is. With the collective passion and efforts of several veteran gyaru, we have combined our time, resources, and diverse skills to create a helpful point of reference for everyone to enjoy... This is an assemblage of gyaru media and history all in one convenient place. Without a past, there isn’t a future. Without a future, there is no heaven. So let’s go crazy!