Hello Kitty nails, knee-high fur: Gen Z Gyaru

As beauty trends grow more extreme around the world, from razor-thin eyebrows to acrylic, charm-studded claw nails, the vibrant Y2k-era Gyaru subculture is making a comeback. Originating in Japan in the 1980s, gaining major traction in the ‘90s, and peaking in the noughties, Gyaru emerged as a rebellious style movement defined by tanned skin, bleached hair, and exaggerated makeup, offering young women a way to reject conventional beauty norms and express themselves boldly. It’s the antithesis of the clean girl aesthetic and quiet luxury, embracing a more-is-more ethos with clashing prints, big hair, and stacked accessories. After several seasons dominated by minimalism, some young Chinese consumers are gravitating toward the maximalist, nostalgic codes of Gyaru. On Xiaohongshu, the hashtag #gyaru has amassed 59.2 million views, up 2 million in the past week alone, signaling a cultural shift toward more colorful, expressive looks. Quiet luxury decline China’s interest in Gyaru aligns with broader Gen Z fashion trends worldwide. According to Instagram trend tracker Databutmakeitfashion, early November saw searches and engagement for leopard print surge 34%, sequins rise 20%, and blue eyeshadow jump 12%, while searches for quiet luxury fell 11% in the same week. Gyaru’s signature elements — bleached or highlighted hair, bronzed skin, bold eyeliner, white eyeshadow, glossy lips, heavy lashes, platform boots, fur trims, rhinestones, and Sanrio charm accessories — overlap with micro-trends already visible across China’s fashion feeds. The aesthetic shares DNA with Y2K maximalism and the “McBling” style popularized by celebrities: think pink flip phones, Juicy Couture perfume, chunky highlights, and an unapologetically “extra” beauty approach. While full Gyaru remains a niche subculture, elements of its style are increasingly being adopted on a wider scale. A key driver is the Labubu effect, which has revitalized Asian consumers’ love of chunky, plush toy handbag charms, from Hello Kitty to Monchhichi. Meanwhile, the resurgence of old technology among young people, such as wired headphones and digital cameras, reflects nostalgia for the noughties era when Gyaru reigned supreme. Y2K tech and aesthetics As retro tech aesthetics go viral TikTok and Xiaohongshu, users are gravitating toward the visual language of the early social media age. Even music artists are drawing inspiration from the early internet — rapper Fake Mink, for example, curates an Instagram feed that feels straight out of 2009 rather than 2025. That nostalgia aligns naturally with Gyaru’s timeline, placing the subculture at the intersection of old-internet romanticism and contemporary youth culture. K-pop’s flirtation with Gyaru and Gyaru-adjacent aesthetics has helped fuel the shift away from quiet luxury. While few idols fully embody “true” gyaru — given its tanning, heavy contour, and hyper-specific beauty rules that diverge from Korean industry norms — artists like HyunA, G-Dragon, and Felix have tapped adjacent visual languages. HyunA’s street-punk-meets-Y2K styling and jagged “I’m Not Cool” era silhouettes evoke Gyaru’s maximalist spirit, while G-Dragon’s androgynous, accessory-heavy experimentation channels the subculture’s risk-taking glamour. The viral popularity of vibrant designers like tartan-fronted Chopova Lowena or all-frills Sandy Liang has also been steering fashion away from quiet luxury over the past year. Recent brand moves further underscore a maximalist fashion trajectory replete with old “worldwide web” aesthetics. Coty’s relaunch of the King Kylie Collection for Kylie Cosmetics last month stirred nostalgia for Kylie Jenner’s early social media era, complete with blue hair and statement glam. At the GQ Men of the Year Awards, Hailey Bieber turned heads wearing a diamante Gucci G-string dress. Logo belts are reportedly back in fashion, and even minimalist stalwart Skims just dropped a logo-heavy collection with Cactus Plant Flea Market. For brands, the rise of Gyaru signals a renewed appetite for bold, character-driven styling and playful cosmetics in China. While few consumers are likely to adopt the full look, elements of the subculture like elongated Hello Kitty nails, vibrant prints, visible logos, and fur knee-high boots are already infiltrating the mainstream. For many fashion-forward Chinese Gen Zers, quiet luxury is looking to be just a blank slate for maximalist styling and accessorizing in 2026.

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Hello Kitty nails, knee-high fur: Gen Z Gyaru