In a green park in Mexico City, alongside colonial period fountains and food stalls, Italia Segovia’s creations are making heads turn, as they always do.
A white ruffled dress complete with pastel pink lace and large bow; a high-school style tartan dress tied around the waist with a pale yellow shawl printed with Mexico’s patron saint the Virgin of Guadalupe, all topped with brash heavy makeup.
Birth of ‘Chicanjuku’: A Mexican Cultural Blend
Segovia, whom her friends also call Kumiko, coined the term Chicanjuku for her work a blend of Mexican-American Chicano culture and Japanese Harajuku fashion, drawing inspiration from the Tokyo neighborhood known for its vibrant accessories, extreme makeup, and theatrical hairstyles.
“It’s like a food blender of styles,” Segovia said of her designs, which have also become a core part of her identity.
Mexican Chicano Style and Personal Connection
Segovia explained that Mexican-Americans in the United States made Chicano style famous because they didn’t feel at home in either place due to their mixed heritage. Although not Mexican-American herself, she has numerous relatives living in the United States that sparked her great passion for the style she now incorporates.
Segovia, who has nearly 30 thousand fans on Instagram, mixes the oversized shirts, khakis and flat brim caps similar to Chicano culture with the candy-floss fairytale pop of Harajuku. The makeup could comprise dark outlining around the lips and eyeliner inspired by Japanese Geisha look.
International Appeal and Creative Collaborations
Segovia’s unique style has even been noticed by Japanese fans. In June, she created special costumes for three Japanese E-Queens, an offshoot of electronic music dancers, whom she had come in contact with months before on the internet. They met up together in Mexico City for a photo shoot and street dancing, wearing Segovia’s costumes.
“I love how she uses texture,” said Shirendev Oyun-Erdenen, a Japanese E-Queen who dances under the name Maaya the Bee, “Helping people feel free to experiment and not be afraid. That’s what it’s all about,” Segovia said.