GRUNGE FAIRYCORE!

Sofie’s Unique Fashion Style

I had the pleasure of speaking with Sofie, a German born, fashion management student, about her imaginative fashion sense, experiences living in Tokyo, favorite places to visit and her future plans.

Sofie's unconventional and distinctive outfits set her apart. When I first saw photos of her on social media, I was intrigued by her outfit coordinations and how effortlessly she made it work. I wanted to know the inspiration behind her style so I reached out and she was kind enough to agree to an interview. Excerpts from our chat can be read below (Interview has been edited for easy reading)

Where are you from and what do you do?

I  was born in Germany and I’m studying fashion management. My main goal is to become a stylist in Japan. When I was 18, I moved to Japan, all by  my self. I just booked a ticket and left my hometown. That’s how I started working out there,  making connections. Then I met some people in the fashion industry and I  got to go to Tokyo fashion week and that’s when I realized that I wanted to work in fashion. When I had just graduated high school, I didn’t  really know what I wanted to do so I went to Japan, and figured it out. Tokyo  gave me the opportunity to truly find myself and realize what I want in life. 

Why Japan though? Why Tokyo? You could have gone to any other place in the world.

Since  I was kid, I had this obsession with Japan. It’s not like I watched  anime (Japanese animation) or read manga (Japanese comic books). I never did that. It was just that I really liked  the culture and whenever I saw the commercials on TV or wherever, I just  had the fascination and was drawn to it...and I was a very big Sanrio  fan. When I was 15, I went to Japan for the first time and knew that’s  where I wanted to be. So at 18, I decided to just move there.

Did you parents support you moving to Tokyo?

My parents  wanted me to do things they weren’t able to do but of course it was  very hard for them to let me go. Germany and Japan are quite far away and it’s hard for a parent to let their 18 year old move out into the world but they are supportive when they can. They’ll always support me  in whatever I do.

I know you get asked about this a lot but what is your fashion style? Could you describe it?

It  changes everyday but at the moment, I like very fairy like, elvish like  clothes. I like specific color schemes so it’s easy for me to combine  everything I own. Someone once described it as Grunge Fairy Core! I don’t know if I’d describe it as such but I think that’s the best way to do it.

What or who inspired you to get into fashion?

I grew up in a very small town near Leipzig and there’s  like 10,000 people living there. I feel like I always stood out and  didn't  blend in and so I used that to stand out even more because I didn’t  care what people would say. I started wearing what I wanted to wear and I enjoyed being different. When I moved to Tokyo, the people that I  met there and the lifestyles they had, the whole fashion scene in Tokyo was just so interesting to me. And that’s when I knew fashion is what I wanted to do. 

What are your favorite fashion brands?

I’ve got two. The first one is Rick Owens and the second is Margiela. 

If you could  compare Tokyo to any other city in the world you’ve been to, which would be the most similar?

I  think it’s hard compare Tokyo to any other city because it’s just so  unique itself. If I had to compare it to a city in Europe, I’d say it  would most likely be comparable to London because it’s a very creative city.  It’s very unique and has a great party and clubbing scene. But yeah, I  think it’s hard to compare Tokyo to any other place. Tokyo has this  feeling of home for me. I’ve never had this feeling anywhere else. 

Are there any interesting places you discovered while living in Tokyo?

I used to go to this place called Shimotakaido in Tokyo. During the cherry blossom season, it's really beautiful and not a lot of people know about it. I really started to appreciate nature when I moved to Tokyo. Over the weekends, I’d go on these walks along the Tama river. Any place along the Keio line (railway Line) had beautiful places to check out. 

Any plans for the future?

In  about two years, I hope to be back in Tokyo working as a professional stylist.  I’m currently working on a portfolio and taking photos of my friends so I want to complete that as well. When I'm back in Tokyo, I hope to open a fashion store too.

All photos courtesy of Sofie.