Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: An Intersection Between Manga and High Fashion

Graphic by Allie Wicks

Hirohiko Araki, mangaka (the Japanese word for author and illustrator of a manga) for “Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure,” is a man with a very distinct sense of style, especially amongst other mangakas––a sense of style that has even been recognized by the likes of Gucci. Having been a mangaka for over 40 years, he is truly an expert on how to craft a story and create a franchise. The “Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure” franchise has found great success ever since its first release back in 1987. The story follows the Jojo family as they embark on a very prideful and just fight against evil actions of the main antagonist Dio Brando. 

The characters that populate his stories are instantly recognizable and irreplaceable, and this is a product of his very distinct sources of inspiration. If you were to run into Araki as he was on his way to his studio in Japan, you would see him carrying large books filled with pictures of Greek and Roman statues, along with several issues of fashion magazines such as Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. Araki’s characters are flamboyant, luxurious and beautiful, and that is clear to see from his artistic process. Similarly, if you followed Araki to his studio and stood behind him as he got ready to commence with his illustration, you’d see him constantly flip through the Greek statues in order to reproduce their perfect proportions. Following this, he would then look to the fashion magazines for inspiration on how to pose his characters. The characters have very clearly marked cheekbones, strong jaws, seemingly ideal body and face proportions and facial structures. They seem to be ridiculously muscular, but throughout the issues Araki explores thinner body types for men, just like you would see on the cover of a magazine. 

Image courtesy of cbr.com

This gives the manga a very unique look that was certainly translated into its anime adaptation. The eccentric style of the anime has propelled it into the mainstream over the past few years, and as a result, more people have been exposed to and have indulged in Hirohiko Araki’s distinct tastes. 

Frida Giannini, the creative director of Gucci, was inspired to reach out to Araki in 2013 because of his character's glamorous poses and mold-breaking fashion. This collaboration was displayed worldwide at more than 80 Gucci locations. 

Though it is certainly incredible to see the art style on Gucci storefronts worldwide, I must say that the actual men’s clothing line does not scream “Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure” as much as I’d hoped when I heard about it. The designs, though certainly Gucci-worthy, are still pretty tame for what you would expect by looking at the characters in the manga. The women’s line, however, does lend itself more to Jojo’s style, featuring dresses and coats with striking and intricate floral patterns, while the men’s line has some, but mostly on the inside of jackets, while the outside is a solid, safe navy. 

Regardless, Araki’s work is certainly inspiring, and watching him valiantly string all his passions together and, subsequently, give people something they did not know they wanted is very satisfying. Watching the man at work will definitely reawaken your creative itch.