Visual Kei

ヴィジュアル系 / 1980s– / Style / Subculture Style

Visual Kei is a Japanese rock and metal visual culture in which hair, makeup, costume, stage and photography construct a band persona as strongly as the music, crossing glam, gothic, punk, Kabuki and historic dress.

Visual Kei — Visual-kei cosplay at Jingūbashi, Tokyo, 2006 — photo: Jacob Ehnmark — Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0 · © Jacob Ehnmark from Tokyo, Japan — Visual-kei cosplay at Jingūbashi, Tokyo, 2006 — photo: Jacob Ehnmark — Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0 · CC BY 2.0 · © Jacob Ehnmark from Tokyo, Japan

Visual Kei — AI-generated interpretation 1 — AI-generated interpretation, not a reference work

Visual Kei — AI-generated interpretation 2 — AI-generated interpretation, not a reference work

At a glance

Visual cues

Large gravity-defying hair built from sharp sections
Theatrical pale makeup, strong eyes and fine brows
Leather or lace mixed with jewelry, military and historic dress
Long silhouettes crossing gender markers

Best used for

Designing costume, hair, makeup and photography as one band identity
Making changes in a performer's appearance carry a story across eras and fan culture

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Dictionary entry

Type: Choose one lineage of sharp serif, blackletter or drawn lettering and align it with the costume quotation.
Composition: Make face and hair the upper focus, extending a long silhouette through shoulder, sleeve and hem.
Material: Layer black leather, lace, metal and velvet, carrying one accent through makeup and hair.
Caution: Black clothes and heavy makeup are not enough. Bind music, persona, costume and image change into one expression.
Further study: Visual Kei bands / Glam and gothic lineages / Stage image and fan culture

Related entries

Glam Rock Fashion (グラムロック・ファッション)Shared effects: Exhilaration / Rebellion.Compare Visual Kei and Glam Rock Fashion
Lolita Fashion (ロリータ・ファッション)Shared effects: Luxury.Compare Visual Kei and Lolita Fashion

Cite this entry

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Link: https://indexstyle.org/styles/visual-kei
Markdown: [Visual Kei — IndexStyle](https://indexstyle.org/styles/visual-kei)
HTML: <a href="https://indexstyle.org/styles/visual-kei">Visual Kei — IndexStyle</a>

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