Early Imai Kira
Let’s explore Imai Kira pre- Angelic Pretty! Most of us were introduced to Imai Kira’s beautiful illustrations through her collaborations with Angelic Pretty inside the glossy pages of the Gothic & Lolita Bibles. The two began working together sometime in 2001. The following year, Angelic Pretty released clothing with screen-printed Imai Kira illustrations. The two have been intertwined ever since. I think her original art book ‘Rosette’ (released in 2002) summarises the Angelic Pretty influence on her work that is still felt today. It has all the hallmarks of oldschool sweet lolita that you would expect from that time (gingham, strawberries, bunnies) but holds on to some of the edginess from her past. See an introduction to ‘Rosette’ on the blog ' Rose Tea Before Dawn '. I’m very fond of that brief period in the early 2000s where all the sweet lolita brands were coming out with gothic releases. But anyway, the website states that ‘Rosette’ was her 14th original ...