{"id":193632,"date":"2026-04-08T10:32:49","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T08:32:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/luxus-plus.com\/?p=193632"},"modified":"2026-04-09T09:45:25","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T07:45:25","slug":"column-the-aesthetics-of-risk-how-gen-z-turns-existential-insecurity-into-a-fashion-strategy-from-tokyo-to-lagos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/luxus-plus.com\/en\/column-the-aesthetics-of-risk-how-gen-z-turns-existential-insecurity-into-a-fashion-strategy-from-tokyo-to-lagos\/","title":{"rendered":"[COLUMN] The Aesthetics of Risk: How Gen Z Turns Existential Insecurity into a Fashion Strategy, from Tokyo to Lagos"},"content":{"rendered":"

In Tokyo, the jirai kei movement\u2014literally \u201clandmine style\u201d\u2014attracts thousands of young people who deliberately cultivate an aesthetic of fragility. In Lagos, the Alt\u00e9 collective rejects ostentatious bling in favor of an \u201canti-materialist thrift\/DIY\u201d mix. In China, young urbanites are embracing tucool (\u571f\u9177), celebrating what was once considered uncool. And during the protests in Santiago, combativo perreo transforms bodies into political weapons through a hypersexualized and queer aesthetic.<\/h4>\n

<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Theparadox<\/b> is striking: a generation that creates more and more \u201csafe spaces\u201d and claims anxiety as an existential condition<\/b> nevertheless chooses dress codes that are openly transgressive, uncomfortable, and sometimes dangerous<\/b>. This is not a contradiction.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It is alogical response to the structural impossibility of accessing the material security enjoyed by previous generations<\/b>. When stable employment, property, and the ability to plan for the future become inaccessible, personal aesthetics become the last territory of total control.<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tokyo (Japan): Fragility as Armor<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

In the streets of Kabukicho<\/b>, the red-light district of Shinjuku<\/b>, jirai kei<\/b> emerges from a specific context. These young women (and men, with the jirai danshi) adopt makeup that accentuates dark circles, simulates tears<\/b> using pink and red eyeshadow, and creates the permanent illusion of having cried<\/b>. Their outfits blend ultra-feminine lace with subversive accessories<\/b>: crosses, fake blades, toy syringes, and reimagined Sanrio characters.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Rojita
\u00a9 <\/span>Couture by Rojita<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

The term itself is revealing: jirai means\u201clandmine\u201d<\/b>, and describes someone who is \u201cdangerous to approach\u201d<\/b>, prone to unpredictable emotional outbursts. What was previously a misogynistic insult<\/b>\u2014a label applied to women deemed mentally unstable\u2014has been reappropriated as a self-asserted identity<\/b>. In a Japanese society where perfection is oppressive and kawaii culture is omnipresent, displaying vulnerability becomes an act of radical control.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Jirai kei transforms constant anxiety into a chosen identity<\/b>. Fragility is no longer a weakness to be concealed, but an aesthetic to be performed. In a world where everything is slipping away, there remains at least the possibility of orchestrating one\u2019s own vulnerability.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lagos (Nigeria): Aesthetic Rejection as a Political Manifesto<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

8,000 kilometers away, the Alt\u00e9 (Alternative) movement in Lagos<\/b> proposes a reverse transgression, yet guided by the same logic. In a city where material ostentation reigns supreme\u2014the \u201cbig boys\u201d and their luxury watches, parties where success is measured\u2014young people like Ashley Okoli, Odunsi the Engine, and Lady Donli<\/b> choose the aesthetic of \u201cpoverty\u201d<\/b>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Ashley
\u00a9 <\/span>Ashley Okoli<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

A mix of vintage finds, Ankara\u2014the traditional fabric, deconstructed\u2014Doc Martens, and piercings<\/b>, Alte is an \u201canti-materialist statement\u201d in a context of extreme inequality<\/b>. But this is not Western-style voluntary simplicity. It is a reappropriation of the \u201clow-end\u201d aesthetic as a marker of authenticity and cultural capital<\/b>. During the #EndSARS movement, these fashion codes became political: black nail polish, unapologetic dreadlocks, a physical presence in public spaces.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Alt\u00e9 redefines success on its own terms<\/b>. In a Nigerian society where \u201csucceeding\u201d means flaunting one\u2019s wealth, choosing \u201cthrift\u201d<\/strong> (saving) becomes an act of sovereignty<\/strong>. The risk here is not physical, but social: being judged \u201cweird\u201d or a \u201cfailure,\u201d even though that is precisely the goal.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tehran (Iran): the price of blood to control one\u2019s image<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

To understand the geography of aesthetic risk, Tehran now offers the most radical\u2014and the most tragic\u2014case<\/b>. September 2022<\/b>: Mahsa Amini<\/b>, 22, dies in custody<\/b> of the morality police for wearing her hijab improperly<\/b>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This is followed by months of massive protests under the slogan \u201cWoman, Life, Freedom\u201d<\/b> (Zan, Zendegi, Azadi). A partial victory<\/b> followed: by late 2024, the government suspended the draconian hijab law<\/b>, replacing street patrols with algorithmic surveillance\u2014facial recognition cameras, automatic warning text messages, and mobile data tracking.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"iran
\u00a9 DR<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

But since then, the situation has taken an unprecedented turn. In June 2025<\/b>, the \u201cTwelve-Day War\u201d<\/b> pits Israel and then the United States against Iran<\/b>, targeting the regime\u2019s nuclear facilities and military infrastructure. In the wake of this, a nationwide uprising erupted on December 28, 2025<\/b>, triggered by the collapse of the rial, which within days turned into a direct challenge to the ruling regime\u2014the largest protests since the 1979 revolution. The repression<\/b> is massive<\/b>: human rights organizations document several thousand deaths<\/b>. Then, on February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launch joint strikes on Tehran, Isfahan, and several other cities<\/b>, eliminating Khamenei and several key figures of the regime\u2014with the stated goal of overthrowing the Islamic Republic.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The regime\u2019s future remains deeply uncertain today. It is precisely in this context of structural instability<\/b> that aesthetic transgression takes on dizzying significance<\/b>. In the streets of Tehran, thousands of young women continue to defy the dress code<\/b>\u2014slipped-off hijabs, bright colors, visible hair.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Why continue when physical survival itself is at stake?<\/b> Because when all certainties crumble\u2014regime, war, national identity\u2014appearance becomes the sole space for self-expression that resists the chaos<\/b>. Aesthetic transgression is no longer merely a political act: it is an ontological act. To exist through one\u2019s appearance when everything else hangs in the balance.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

China: Imperfection as Resistance to the System<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

In China, Gen Z is developing more subtle codes<\/b>, but ones that are just as significant. Tucool<\/b> (\u571f\u9177)\u2014literally \u201ccool-tacky\u201d<\/b>\u2014celebrates once-scorned Y2K aesthetics<\/b>: leopard prints, kitschy Qzone filters, and small-town neon signs. County-town style<\/b> (\u53bf\u57ce\u98ce) documents the chipped tile floors and dilapidated staircases of third-tier cities.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Mukzin\"
\u00a9 <\/span>Mukzin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

These movements fall under \u201cdark forest\u201d tactics<\/b>, a Chinese concept where ambiguity protects against censorship<\/b>. By celebrating the \u201chas-been\u201d aesthetic of rural areas, young urbanites implicitly criticize the pressure for urban perfection, competition (neijuan), and graduate unemployment. Irony becomes a shield; kitsch becomes armor.<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Even more revealing: the ugly-cute movement<\/b> (\u4e11\u840c, ch\u01d2um\u00e9ng) and its \u201crat-dried\u201d figurines<\/b> (laoshugan)\u2014deliberately poorly made, flattened, misshapen stuffed animals.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In a culture saturated with filtered perfection, deliberate imperfection becomes an act of authenticity<\/b>. Young people say: in a world where I have no control over my job, my housing, or my future, at least I control my refusal to perform perfection.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Santiago (Chile): The Body as a Battlefield<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

Perreo combativo<\/b>\u2014literally \u201ccombat perreo\u201d\u2014emerged during the 2019 protests in Puerto Rico against Governor Ricardo Rosell\u00f3<\/b>, before spreading to Chile, Argentina, and Colombia<\/b>. Ittransforms reggaeton dance into a feminist and queer protest.<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The aesthetic is explicitly provocative: crop tops, sheer clothing, exposed bodies, exaggerated makeup, fluid gender performance<\/b>. In Latin American societies where gender-based violence is endemic, where exposing one\u2019s body can be literally dangerous, this aesthetic becomes a calculated risk AND a political statement.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tomasa del Real, a Chilean artist<\/b> who theorized neoperreo, sums it up: \u201cIf I can\u2019t dance, it\u2019s not my revolution.\u201d The aesthetic of risk, here, merges with political risk<\/b>. Clothing is not merely an accessory to protest: it is the primary weapon.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What brands don\u2019t understand<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

Faced with these movements, the industry\u2019s reaction reveals a fundamental misunderstanding<\/b>. TikTok normalizes transgression in 48 hours<\/b>. Shein sells \u201cbad hijab accessories.\u201d Zara launches an \u201cAlte collection.\u201d Risk becomes a costume, a disguise, and loses all meaning.<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The problem isn\u2019t commercialization itself\u2014young people in Lagos shop at Zara too. The problem is extraction without understanding. These aesthetics aren\u2019t \u201ctrends to be captured\u201d<\/b>, but existential survival strategies that must be respected.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Therare examples that work<\/b>\u2014Wales Bonner\u2019s collaborations with Adidas, certain Kering capsule collections with LGBTQ+ collectives<\/b>\u2014share one thing in common<\/b>: they create platforms rather than products<\/b>. They allow communities to express themselves, rather than mimicking them.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The luxury industry<\/b>, which traditionally sells perfection and refinement,finds itself facing a generation that values the imperfect and the transgressive<\/b>. Balenciaga understood this by embracing subversion<\/b>. Others are experimenting with \u201cluxury discomfort\u201d<\/b>\u2014pieces that are deliberately uncomfortable or strange. But as long as the approach remains cosmetic rather than philosophical, failure is guaranteed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Control through appearance: the last refuge of agency (the ability to be in control of one\u2019s own life)<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

Let\u2019s return to the initial thesis: unlike previous generations, who sought real security (employment, property, family) and could often achieve it, Gen Z knows that this security is structurally unattainable.<\/b> Faced with a world they do not control\u2014climate crisis, economic precariousness, political instability\u2014they perform control where it remains possible: appearance.<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Geographical observation is revealing. The more unstable the context, the more pronounced and codified the aesthetic transgression<\/b>. Tehran, Lagos, Santiago<\/b>: where insecurity is at its peak, the aesthetics of risk are the most elaborate. Tokyo, Shanghai<\/b>: where the context is stable but oppressive, the transgression is more subtle, yet systematic. In all cases, the logic is the same.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This is not adolescent rebellion. It is an existential survival strategy.<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Fashion \u201crisk\u201d is the only variable this generation fully controls<\/b>, in a world where everything else eludes them. Aesthetics are not superficial: they are the last bastion of freedom.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

For brands<\/b>, the implication is clear: those that seek to \u201ccapture\u201d this aesthetic without understanding its existential function will fail. Those that create spaces where Gen Z can exercise this control will succeed. The difference is not cosmetic. It is philosophical.<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"hamcus
\u00a9 <\/span>Hamcus<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Read more > [COLUMN] Luxury will not be overwhelmed by artificial intelligence. It is in the process of harnessing it<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Featured photo: \u00a9 Couture by Rojita<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In Tokyo, the jirai kei movement\u2014literally \u201clandmine style\u201d\u2014attracts thousands of young people who deliberately cultivate an aesthetic of fragility. In Lagos, the Alt\u00e9 collective rejects ostentatious bling in favor of an \u201canti-materialist thrift\/DIY\u201d mix. In China, young urbanites are embracing tucool (\u571f\u9177), celebrating what was once considered uncool. And during the protests in Santiago, combativo perreo transforms bodies into political weapons through a hypersexualized and queer aesthetic.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1755,"featured_media":193642,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_titles_title":"%%post_title%% %%sep%% %%sitetitle%%","_seopress_titles_desc":"In his latest column, Pascal Malotti (Valtech) explores the Gen Z risk aesthetic from Tokyo to Tehran, via Lagos and Shanghai.","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"both","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":301,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1964],"tags":[24784,24134,24316,23023,22964],"class_list":["post-193632","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-brand-strategy","tag-columns","tag-mode-et-maroquinerie-en","tag-tendances-en","tag-world","tag-young-generation"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/luxus-plus.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/193632","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/luxus-plus.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/luxus-plus.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/luxus-plus.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1755"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/luxus-plus.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=193632"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/luxus-plus.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/193632\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":193679,"href":"https:\/\/luxus-plus.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/193632\/revisions\/193679"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/luxus-plus.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/193642"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/luxus-plus.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=193632"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/luxus-plus.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=193632"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/luxus-plus.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=193632"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}