Tea Party with Mana! Kawaii Kon 2019 Trip Report

Hello bats!

I recently spent a week in Hawaii to visit Kawaii Kon, a 3-day anime convention held at the Hawaii Convention Centre in Honolulu. Me and 4 of my closest friends rented an AirBnB and bought plane tickets the moment we heard that Mana was going to be the guest of honour. It was wonderful - we got to see Mana, enjoy the beach and sunshine, hang out with the lovely Hawaiian lolita community, and most importantly we got to meet many new American friends! We're already planning our trip for next year.

Unfortunately I was stuck using my phone camera most of the time, so the photo quality isn't up to the usual standard. Apologies!

† Moi-même-Moitié Fashion Show †

I was selected to model in the fashion show, along with many of my friends! It was such a fun bonding experience and everything went very smoothly when the show ran around, even though the rehearsals and preparation got a little bit hectic. This show was a lot smaller than the one at Eternal Twilight, with around 14 models instead of 22.

A total of 3 brand-new items were announced at the fashion show. We were allowed to take photos of the secret new items, but we weren't allowed to reveal any details or photos until they were officially announced. However, we were allowed to reveal the re-release of the Gardenia OP and Gardenia Apron! It was definitely unexpected.

The OP will be available in black and in navy, long cut only. The navy isn't a true deep navy in person - it's almost like a darker cobalt colour. The fabric of the OP is thick and heavy, so it would be perfect for autumn or winter. The matching apron is available in white or black - again, long cut only.

Gardenia OP in Navy. On a side note, I'm really loving the blurry, overexposed photos they've been using in some of their photoshoots. It feels nostalgic, like old GLB adverts.

Gardenia OP and matching apron.

Now that the official photos have been released, I can share photos of the other two items revealed during the fashion show: Moitié's first yukata, and new bat collar blouses!

This is the only colourway available. The print features blue roses and a MmM logo print on a grey striped background. The obi will be available in blue and possibly black.

The bat collar blouse will be available in both men's and women's sizing.

I was selected to wear...a lot of black layers, so I was really grateful that the staff allowed me to wear my natural hair in an updo instead of a wig...I probably would have died. Thankfully the air conditioning was running on full blast where we were - there were sections of the convention centre that were open air and it was blazing hot that day.

Funnily enough, this is almost the exact same outfit that my friend wore at the Eternal Twilight fashion show.

Dress: Juliet OP (short cut)

Blouse: Rose Flare Sleeve Cutsew

Bustier: Side Lace-Up Corset

Socks: Ritual OTKs

Headdress: ??? I've never seen this piece before - it was a bow with polka-dot tulle pieces. 

Jewellery: Rose Cabochon Ring, Rose Pearl Cabochon Choker, Jewel Cross Pendant
Shoes: Yosuke USA

This coordinate is so elegant and it really sold me on both the Juliet OP and the new Rose Flare Sleeve Cutsew. I honestly thought the cutsew looked cheap and scratchy in the stock photos, but in reality it's quite soft and comfortable. The flared sleeves also have beautiful soft lace. I tried to buy it after the fashion show, but unfortunately they were all gone. I did end up buying the Juliet OP, though. I love how short it is. I'm all about showing my legs peeking above the OTKs.

The backing music was a variety of Moi Dix Mois instrumentals set to match each coordinate. Each model had around one minute to walk down the runway and pose individually except for the models wearing Gardenia, Silent Moon, and Sleeping Garden, who had group routines. I got to have Sanctum Regnum as my backing track (yesssss). After the last model walked, Mana himself walked down the runway and posed - naturally, there was lots of cape flourishing and dramatic hand motions. Afterwards, all the models lined up again to the tune of Pageant, and Mana came out to pose with us. We were encouraged to be a little bit showy and sassy with our poses, so I definitely played up the dramatic vampire hand motions.

I was kinda goofing off and dancing in the backstage area with my friends. We weren't aware that Mana was standing behind us so that makes it two times that I've danced like an idiot in front of him! Haha~

As usual, photography was banned, but the fashion show was videotaped and will be posted on the Moitie website when it's complete. I will leave a link and repost some of the photos when they're made available.

Update 20/03/20: Looks like the photographer is MIA, so that's not happening. Sorry all!

† Mana Q&A †  

The Q&A was scheduled shortly after the fashion show, so everyone quickly got changed and rushed downstairs to line up. My friends greeted us with iced tea and spam & egg musubi to perk us up a bit as we were all pretty tired. We were first in line, so we got the best seats in front row, directly in front of Mana. He was wearing the newly released bat cape, white blouse, black trousers, black Demonia platform boots, with his trademark blue makeup and backcombed hairstyle. Mana covered his face with a fan and a bouquet of blue roses as he whispered to his translator. It was really cute!

So...usually these Q&A sessions are a little repetitive because people ask lame questions that have been answered dozens of times ("Will you open a physical store in the US?" "Why do you like blue?" "What's your favourite dress?"). I think they were aware of that, so we were encouraged us to ask questions about upcoming releases. They revealed some interesting tidbits about what to expect in the near future, so I'll give you the highlights.

Where are you?

Firstly, the thing everyone is wondering about...Silent Moon. The Silent Moon re-release will drop "very soon" but they gave no indication as to what cuts or colourways will be available, and no comment was made on if the handbag would be re-released as well. This is purely conjecture, but I'm assuming that they will at least re-release the short OP in white x black, black x blue, and black x white at the very least as these are the pieces we've seen crop up in the fashion show over and over.  I know that the Moitié staff use old samples and their own pieces to supplement the fashion show if some things are unavailable, so it's really hard to say what exactly will be released.

We saw the long OP in white x blue displayed at the Eternal Twilight fashion show, but I don't think this cut or colourway is really in demand...for all I know, they might make an entirely new cut like they did for Neo Gothic Arch, and it seems weird that they wouldn't release a JSK version at all. My only hope is that the cut isn't anything like the new Sleeping Garden which doesn't seem to fit anyone well regardless of size.

Another re-release potentially coming down the pipeline is the coffin handbag from 2000. When asked, Mana expressed interest in it as it's one of his favourite pieces and that it was on the list of potential re-releases but I don't remember if they said there were any concrete plans as of yet. I hope they will keep the real leather and the stamped details from the original release (and not the 52k yen price tag).

The legend.

Someone else asked if the old jewellery was slated for re-release as we saw some pieces like Metal Emblem pop up in the fashion show. Unfortunately, they have no plans to re-release these pieces because of the difficulty and expense of finding a good manufacturer. This broke my heart a little, since it's really hard to find and the prices are usually pretty wild and I really don't want to wear used earrings, you know? That said, maybe it's for the best. Some of the newer jewellery I've bought from them, namely the candelabra necklace and earrings, are really fragile and my friend's set has already broken. My Jewel Cross pendants and bag charm are still fine, though.

Likewise, they stated that they do not plan on introducing or re-releasing any shoe designs due to manufacturing difficulties. I would love to see them collaborate with an existing shoe brand that fit with their aesthetics, like Yosuke USA. And since they've already collaborated with a Chinese brand (Krad Lanrete) it doesn't seem unreasonable to assume that they might collaborate with a Chinese shoe manufacturer someday. One can dream, anyway.

I asked Mana if he planned on reintroducing the red and green colourways at some point. Fans may know that one of his favourite pieces is the Cross Arch Lace-Up JSK from 2011 in the green colourway. The response was that there's a good chance that we will see some more green pieces in the future! I adore black and green together (brings me back to my baby cybergoth days) so I'm praying that we see some black pieces trimmed with green lace...or even black dresses with sparkly emerald green screen prints? Pipe dream? Probably.

"The vibrant green shantung is very beautiful. I think most people will think of blue when they hear the words Moi-même-Moitié, but actually, I like green as well. I’m really pleased with how the shimmer of this JSK makes you feel like you’re wearing emeralds." - via JRockNews

I'm also kicking myself because I planned to ask if Divine Cross would be re-released and I totally forgot and instead asked if they planned on releasing a new butterfly print (nope). D'oh.

In other news...Moi-même-Moitié Salon members are already aware of this, but if you haven't forked over $17 to read it, Mana recently had an interview with Naoto Hirooka of h.Naoto. When asked if they were planning on collaborating, he responded that there were no concrete plans but they were open to the idea and had discussed creating wa lolita pieces.

In addition to dress releases, new housewares are on the way! I'm really hoping to see some new bed linens or a duvet cover. In the same vein, Mana is interested in releasing comfy roomwear items like nightgowns and slippers, as they have in the past. They seem keen on turning Moitié into a more lifestyle-oriented brand so that you can live and breathe Moitié, and I honestly couldn't be happier. I'm personally hoping the bathrobe makes a comeback - one recently sold online for like $20 and I'm still mad about it.

Lastly, no new EGA or men's pieces are currently in the pipeline. Sigh.

In addition, we got some cute tidbits of information about Mana.

• Mana likes walking outdoors and hiking, and asked for recommendations on good places to visit in Hawaii. I never really pegged him for an outdoorsman so this answer surprised me.
• Mana would like to visit New York City and Canada in particular someday.
• Mana recommends visiting Cimetière du Montparnasse (Montparnasse Cemetery) in Paris for the beautiful scenery. 
• Mana loves cooking, and there will be an upcoming live event in Japan where attendees will get to sample Mana's recipes! I would love to have a gothic-themed cookbook written by Mana.
• If Mana were to release a perfume, it would smell "sweet, fruity, and dangerous." When asked to define "dangerous" he told us that it was up to our own imagination. Spicy!

† Kingdom by the Sea Tea Party † 

The tickets were so pretty! They had the Silent Moon print in the background and holographic candelabras.

We lined up for the tea party early so that we could get the best seats. We took the time to socialize with the locals and take photos. I loved the style of the local girls! A lot of them seemed to go for a more mature, aristocrat-influenced style with longer dresses, jackets, and hats. Honestly, simple and elegant coordinates are the purest form of Moitié that can exist. It was lovely to be in a roomful of people all wearing Moitié from head to toe. That said, I have no idea how they manage to wear this stuff on a tropical island without dying of heatstroke. Props.

The tea party was fantastic - probably the best convention tea party I've ever been to. You could really see how much love was put into the decorations. Blue rose petals were scattered in front of the doorway. When the double doors were opened, it revealed a pathway of rose petals leading towards the front of the room where Mana would be sitting. Each table had a cute little black and blue lighthouse, black and white tablecloths, and black and silver candelabra confetti. Every place was set with a blue facecloth featuring a blue rose background and the Holy Queen print in white.

Now, most tea parties held in convention centres hotels have frankly god-awful food in tiny quantities, so I was really pleasantly surprised by the quality and quantity of the food we got. They had the standard tea party fare of scones with clotted cream, fresh fruits (including pineapple!), and cake loaf. The jams were made from local fruits like guava, papaya, and lilikoi, and they were amazingly delicious. The best part is that we could eat as much as we wanted!

After we were finished eating, Mana entered through the double doors and walked down the rose petal path to his seat. I was sitting right next to the path and was in the table nearest to him, so he brushed right past me. Mana's outfit was a little more toned down for the tea party, but he was also wearing one of his trademark floppy black top hat-bucket hat hybrid things adorned with lots of black flowers and trims to make it more "Hawaiian-inspired" (his words). Precious.

Mana is wearing the bat collar blouse here!

There was a brief interview/Q & A period. Even though he covered up his face with his blue rose bouquet when whispering his replies, we definitely caught him smiling a few times. We also got some interesting news - Mana has finished composing the next Moi Dix Mois album and plans to record everything within a year or so, if everything goes according to plan. The album will have a lot of nature- and season-themed songs. I know that one or two tracks have been leaked already, and that they were being test run at lives, but I haven't heard anything yet myself.

There was also a photo area set up in one corner with a Silent Moon backdrop and rose petals scattered on the floor. Mana was taking really cute selfies in front of it with his selfie stick at one point. The lighting wasn't great, but I still got a decent outfit shot. I made a last minute outfit change - I was going to wear a black blouse with blue lace trim, but I'm glad I decided to swap for the blue blouse instead. It's obnoxiously bright. I also clipped my new barette onto my bustier since I didn't have a brooch.

Skirt: Moi-même-Moitié Gothic Arch

Blouse: Moi-même-Moitié Rose Ribbon Blouse

Bustier: Alice and the Pirates Isabelle Rose Bustier
Headdress: Moi-même-Moitié Rolled Rose Headdress and Arch Lace Choker, Antique Beast Sub Rosa Headdress

Socks: Moi-même-Moitié Holy Cross Lace-Up OTKs

Jewellery: Moi-même-Moitié Candelabra Pearl Necklace and Jewel Cross Pendant
Shoes: Yosuke USA

Afterwards, Mana stood near the backdrop and we were called up table by table for Mana to hand us a rose and shake our hands. We were also allowed to speak to him. I told him that I've been a big fan of him for over 15 years, and thanked him for his role in Malice Mizer and Moitié because without those things I wouldn't have met the dearest and most beloved friends I've ever had. My friends had all said similar things to him, so we were all getting a bit teary and huggy. Then it came time for Mana to leave. He exited along the rose petal path, waving, bowing, and evne blowing kisses at us as he left! Things wrapped up pretty quickly after that.

Also, one guy got kicked out of the tea party within the first...3 minutes? But that's a story for another day...

† Autograph Session †

Mana was available for 2 separate autograph sessions. We each got one free autograph with our entry ticket, but people who purchased over $150 worth of merchandise got tickets for extra autographs. I had him autograph my vintage Memoire DX CD, a postcard, my Alchemy phone case, and a photograph. Sadly, the rules were that he would only autograph flat pieces of Moitié/Moi Dix Mois/Malice Mizer merchandise only, but by the end of the session when there were only a few people left they seemed to ease up on the rules a little bit - my friend got her leather bat bag signed! At the end of the second signing, we all cheered and waved goodbye, and he bowed and waved back very elegantly.

†  Shopping: Moi-même-Moitié Booth and Vendors † 

I lined up 20 minutes before the shopping booths opened in the dealer's room so that I could get first pickings at the booth. It wasn't much of a bloodbath, but most of the good stuff sold within the first hour and I didn't end up getting everything I'd wanted. They brought a good selection of items from the online shop, but the purses and umbrellas were sadly not available. 

I was actually able to buy a few items that were sold out online at the time, which was great! They also carried over the sales that were available on Wunderwelt, so I ended up getting the Juliet OP for a very good price. Wearing it in the fashion show really won me over. The seersucker fabric is super lightweight and comfortable in the summer heat, and it can be worn casually without a petticoat too. I also purchased the Rose Ribbon Blouse in blue. It was very comfortable and breezy despite the summer heat.

After the fashion show, the Silent Moon OPs were on display with big "NOT FOR SALE" tags but that didn't stop us from havign a collective heart attack when we saw them on the mannequins. Don't play with my heart like that, Moitié.

Anyway, two Kawaii Kon exclusive items were also available for purchase. The first item was a round corsage hair barette that was available in black x blue, black x white, and black x black. The barette features two types of lace, 3 roses, and a candelabra charm - very similar to the M+CROIX Lace Barette released earlier this year. The second item was the candelabra pearl necklace with a bright blue bead instead of the standard black one.

Barettes (the item numbers are X-00204-3 and X-00204-1).

Candelabra necklace with the Lapis Lazuli pearl.

I was delighted to meet Sweet Mildred again! I first met her in Finland, where I was impressed by her beautiful craftsmanship and her great customer service. She's probably one of the friendliest and nicest people I've ever met. I ended up buying a white rectangle headdress (I have a million of them already, but this one was so soft...) and a black hat. My lovely friend bought me a butterfly brooch as well!

That just about wraps up my Kawaii Kon experience. It was a fantastic, friendly little con - it felt a lot like Anime North used to be. Even if Mana weren't a guest at the con, it was so much fun meeting the locals and just experiencing the con that I can definitely see myself going back. We're already making plans for another trip to Honolulu!

Until next time ~

[Current Music: Trevor Something - Enjoy The Silence]

Eternal Twilight (Hellocon 2018) Trip Report: Day 2

Click here to read my post about Day 1 of Eternal Twilight! Today I'll be covering Day 2 of Eternal Twilight: the Shakespearean Night tea party and the Nightfall afterparty. I had this post in my queue and I accidentally set the date to way in the future so it was never actually available to read. I've backdated it so that it shows up in the correct order in the navigation, but...d'oh. Sadly, a huge chunk of my photos from this event just disappeared from my phone and I can't find them, even in my cloud backup. I'm actually really upset about it because a lot of them were really sentimental...

We weren't quite used to the time zone change yet, so we all ended up waking up way too early. The day before was such a rush that it was nice to just take our time to get our hair and makeup done. We headed out to Svenska Klubben by tram (actually, we ran into Mana and his entourage at the tram stop...he must have been staying in the hotel next to ours since we bumped into him 3 times!) and arrived about an hour before the doors were set to open. The surrounding area was pretty quiet despite being near a major road. It looks like Helsinki isn't very lively on Sundays, as many shops weren't open at all and there was almost no traffic. We took the opportunity to take some goofy photos on the street.

I was feeling pretty lazy and wanted to be comfy after the exhausting day previous. I did a shiro nun coordinate, which really has nothing to do with the theme at all, but I wanted to be comfy and I hadn't brought along enough accessories for an OTT look.

Shakespearean Night Tea Party at Svenska Klubben

Svenska Klubben is a historical building located near the waterfront of Helsinki. It's beautifully decorated inside. My favourite area was the bar/lounge because it looks like a movie set!

We all crammed into the ground floor of Svenska Klubben for a toast with sparkling wine, then headed upstairs towars the dining room so we could start eating. Shortly after, the special guests of honour, Babi and Kaie of Triple Fortune, arrived and took their seats. Our table setting had a black Gothic Arch print file folder, a Triple Fortune placemat, and a Triple Fortune printed fan. We actually ended up sitting a few seats down from Babi and Kaie, which was very lucky! At the end of the party, Babi and Kaie came up to my friends to compliment them on how their outfits really made them look like dark Shakespearean villainesses ❤

Table setting with a Triple Fortune placemat and fan, Gothic Arch folder, program, and coupons from Teja Jamila.

Instead of serving ourselves, we lined up and served ourselves buffet-style. I've never been to a tea party with a buffet, but it was awesome and filling. It was too crowded to get a photo of the buffet table, but they had popular Finnish foods such as rispirog (rice pies), smoked salmon, and berry pie. There was also an assortment of cheese, meats, salads, and bread. Me being me, I basically filled my plate with rispirog covered in eggs and cheese because that just seemed like the right thing to do.

@vudu_juju wearing a golden I Do Declare OP and a Hysteria Machine crown.

After we ate, there was a performance of traditional Japanese dance. I was far back enough that I couldn't see anything at all, though, so I can't really comment on it, the organizers held a raffle. The first prizes given away were private kabedon photos with Babi and Kaie. Several girls were whisked away by Babi and Kaie and returned laughing and blushing. They also awarded a prize to their favourite Shakespearean coordinate. The winner was wearing a Triple Fortune dress with roses and lillies and a handmade floral halo crown. Those were apparently Shakespeare's favourite flowers, according to Triple Fortune.

Me looking incredibly nervous in a corner.

Afterparty at Gloria and Brilliant Kingdom Performance

Gloria is a small bar/performance venue in downtown Helsinki. The night before, Kamijo had a small concert that we didn't attend. The bottom floor features a stage and dance floor, and the upper floor has the bar and seating area. Flanking the bar on both sides were balconies in a semicircle overlooking the stage and dance floor. The layout reminded me of the Asylum bar in Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines, if you have played that game. My favourite part about Gloria was the black and white tiled floors paired with the giant red doors - it was very reminiscent of the Beast of Blood MV (which was in turn inspired by Twin Peaks). The lighting wasn't good enough to get a good coordinate shot, but . We met a group of Russians who were super excited to learn that the Slav squat had become a meme overseas, so naturally we had to squat with them.

Quick snap from my Instagram.

They were serving Eternal Twilight-themed drinks based on Mana and Brilliant Kingdom! Drinks in Helsinki are expensive. Each of these drinks was 7.50 Euro. ranted, everything is expensive, but it's so much cheaper to drink in Toronto. The Mana drink was aesthetically pleasing (so blue!) but not very tasty to be honest...and that's as someone who loves tonic in drinks. I went for the Brilliant Prince drink which was quite tasty, and quite a few shots as well. There was a black licorice drink but I didn't have it since I prefer my licorice to be uh...solid.

Also, Finns can drink us Canadians under the table.

The Brilliant Price (ginger ale, lime, and whiskey), the Mana (vodka, blue curacao, and tonic water), and some random shot.

After milling around, socializing, and drinking for an hour or two, the afterparty programming again. As the afterparty was 18+, the programming was definitely a little bit racy! There were several burlesque and striptease performances, so it was tons of fun to watch. For obvious reasons, I'm not going to post the photos. My personal highlight of the night: the burlesque performer ripped her blouse open to release a cloud of rose petals and rose nipple pasties, all to the tune of Malice Mizer.

Babi and Kaie singing as Brilliant Kingdom!

After a few hours of milling around, Brilliant Kingdom, Triple Fortune's music and fashion performance group, put on a fantastic show. I wasn't able to get many clear photos (I mean I was drunkenly trying to take photos on my phone from the balcony) but thankfully the official Hellocon photographer was there to save the day! All credit for these photos goes to Sanni Siira.

Photo by Saani Siira.

Photo by Saani Siira.

After the fashion show ended and Brilliant Kingdom cleared out, the stage and chairs on the lower level were removed so that the dance party could begin. The DJ played a mixture of visual kei and some EBM (she definitely knew her crowd). As soon as Malice Mizer came on we swarmed the floor, drinks in hand. Blue lights, wearing Moitié with my friends, dancing to Malice Mizer and Moi Dix Mois...it was so fun!

We took a break from dancing and decided to go sit out on the balcony we were in previously only to find Mana and his entourage - Mana standing, entourage dancing and cheering. I guess they'd been watching the whole time! I hope he was happy to see that people still really enjoy his music.

That just about wraps up my discussion of Eternal Twilight, so I hope you enjoyed reading about my Finland adventure. We did end up staying for a few days to explore Helsinki, but I haven't had time to write about all of the other things we did. I can't wait to go back! This was my first time in Europe and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. Until next time, Finland!

Eternal Twilight (Hellocon 2018) Trip Report: Day 1

Hello bats! I've just returned from the airport and I'm trapped in bed with an awful cold and a stomach bug, so I figure now is as good a time as any to write up my trip report. As many of you probably already know, my friends and I flew to Finland for Eternal Twilight (Hellocon 2018), an annual lolita event held in Helsinki.

I was hoping to attend the Moitié tea party and model at Sakuracon in Seattle earlier this year, but I wasn't able to make it...so I jumped at the chance to go to Eternal Twilight when it was announced that Moitié would be their special guest. I survived the ticket bloodbath and snagged a VIP ticket that would allow me to meet Mana, and I was also chosen to model for the Moitié fashion show and for Puvithel in the indie fashion show.

This was my first time attending a large, exclusively lolita event, and it was also my first time in Europe. Actually, it was my first time taking a major trip without a family member...I've gone on trips to other provinces or to the USA by myself, but never overseas. It was a bit stressful, but everything went pretty smoothly!

Opening Ceremony Mana Q&A

Instead of getting a paper ticket or plastic card pass, we got a cute Mana pinback button as a ticket. Different ticket tiers had different Mana portraits - I wish I could have grabbed the other ones! The blue pin was for VIP ticket holders. VIPs also got a tote bag with some stickers and flyers inside.

The bat clips are mine, and the Gothic Arch clear file is from another event.

They got his resting bitch face down pat.

The programming of the day began with a Q&A with Mana and his staff. The questions were not very spicy. A lot of it was kind of stuff we've heard many times before - "what inspires you?" "Why do you like blue?" etc. The highlight of the Q&A was actually a special surprise - since Mana doesn't speak, Kamijo was invited to recite Mana's answers instead! He kept making the Japanese equivalent of dad jokes and hearing him say "Kawaii!" was precious. Sadly, I had to take off halfway through the Mana Q&A to get ready for the fashion show.

Mana Q&A session. Mana is wearing Demonia Stacks, haha! Taken from the MMM official twitter.

Moi-même-Moitié Fashion Show

During the first model fitting on Friday, Mana himself showed up! He kept to himself in the corner, staying on his phone and talking to his staff quietly. He was wearing his "casual disguise" (hat and sunglasses) and was probably pretty tired and jet-lagged, like us. I was so surprised to hear his real voice! It didn't sound like I imagined it would - I always imagined it would be one of those super dramatic, resonating voices for some reason but it was actually more high-pitched and slightly nasal...so a very normal Japanese male voice, pretty much. It was very cute.

I remember one of the Wunderwelt staff telling me that normally they wouldn't put someone in a dress they already own, but they really wanted me to wear white, so I was chosen to wear the short version of the new Cross OP in white. I'm happy I got a light and comfy dress since it was very hot backstage...some of the poor girls were wearing long-sleeved blouses under OPs with wigs.  Mana was present during the backstage preparations, which made us all a little bit nervous!

Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take photos/videos during the Moitié fashion show (we were allowed to take photos from backstage and post them on Instagram, so check the #eternaltwilight tag!). We were pulled aside afterwards to take individual shots of the outfit with the event photographer, Sanni Siira, so I'm sure that they will release some more official photos/videos at some point.

Photo by Sanni Siira.

For styling, I was asked to do my makeup in light gold with blue accents like a "messenger from God" (how fitting for a heathen like me!) and to put my natural hair in twintails. I used ABH Modern Renaissance eyeshadows, Nyx's Pinched blush, and Sephora's Lip Creme in Marvellous Mauve.

The accessories I got to wear were pretty awesome. Rose Cross Original Lace Headdress and the matching Rose Cross Original Lace Choker, both from 2007. I've been wanting this headdress for a long time but I've never seen it in person. As you can see, it's absolutely massive, even on my big head. I also wore the Holy Cross Lace Up OTKs in white, which I desperately want and will probably never touch again. Haha~

The runway was shaped like a cross and decorated with crosses and bats.

All of the models lined up on the blue cross stage, with Mana at the centre. Taken from the MMM official Twitter.

Posing in Paasitorni's stairway after the fashion show with Mana! Taken from the MMM official Twitter.

We got a sneak peek at 3 new releases during the fashion show. Firstly, we have two new colourways of Sleeping Garden, which will be available in a long and short version. The first colourway is a pinky-orange to purple gradient, and the second colourway is green. It has been officially confirmed by WW staff but no official photos have been released yet. It was really exciting to see them in person. The green blouse with the frilled collar/jabot worn by Mana is also a new item that will be available soon.

I also hope that because Silent Moon was included in the fashion show that they're hinting at a re-release, maybe? Possibly? I'm trying to collect every cut and colourway. Right now I only have black x gold and black x blue so I would basically die of happiness if this were the case!

Update: Apparently when someone asked if they could buy one of the Silent Moon dresses from the fashion show, staff indicated that a re-release of Silent Moon is in the works. My prayers have been answered!

Overall, the fashion show was exhausting but rewarding. I hope Mana was happy and proud to see all of the models looking beautiful in full Moitié. I was so excited to see that a lot of the models were girls that I follow on Instagram, and everyone made friends quite quickly after the initial shyness wore off. ❤

Indie Designer Fashion Show

After the Moitié fashion show I had about 20 minutes before I had to rush backstage again and change into my outfit for Puvithel. There were tons of designers in the indie show so everything was very last minute. Some of the designers present included I Do Declare, Cloudberry Lady, Lady Sloth, Miss Danger, Advent, and Li Paro.

Unfortunately I don't have clear photos of the fashion show, so I hope this video gives you guys a good idea - thanks to FreakyAngel for compiling the video! Click here or go to 11:43 to skip ahead to the fashion show. You can see how I completely fucked up the timing at the end of the Puvithel walk and turn around like an idiot. This was my first time modelling so I was a little bit (read: terribly) nervous as we didn't have much chance to practice.

I really like Puvithel's designs.She is really creative and I love how she pulls off decora, menhera, and lolita so well! I modelled her Slaughterhouse JSK in white. She also made the beautiful iridescent pink heart necklace and waist chain in my outfit!

Ending Ceremony and Mana Meet and Greet

At the end of the fashion I finally had a chance to rejoin my friends and sit to watch the tail end of the programming but I was totally exhausted since I hadn't eaten all day and my allergy meds were kicking in hard. I ended up drifting in and out of sleep during most of this part, basically only waking up to sneeze...damn Finnish trees!

The host announced that there were two coordinate contests. The first contest was for whoever's coordinate photo posted in front of the Wunderwelt backdrop got the most likes on Alice Holic app. and the second contest was for the best Moitié coordinate, as chosen by Mana himself. Some random person on Alice Holic who wasn't even at the event used the #hellocon #eternaltwilight tags in her photos...? It was pretty funny, so they gave the prize to the person with the second-most likes who was an actual attendee.

They then announed that they'd be choosing the winner for the Moitié coordinate contest shortly. A few moments later one of the organizers (I think it was the Swedish Kawaii Ambassador?) grabbed me by the hand, totally waking me out of my half-asleep state, and led me onto the stage to announce that I had won!

The face of internal panic.

My face was pretty stoic but in my mind I was like "aaaaaaAAAAAAAAA" while simultaneously trying not to sneeze/faint/die from excitement. I was kinda dazed at this point so I don't remember exactly they all said about my coordinate, but apparently Mana and the WW staff liked that I had coordinated some iconic Moitié looks together such as the black x blue, lace-up socks, Iron Gate, and curly twintails, and that my coord embodied the spirit of Moitié. It made my heart felt so warm ❤ The prize I won from the coordinate contest was pretty amazing! I won the Jewel Cross necklace in black, a phone strap with Moitie's signature silver cross and crystal beads, and a signed copy of the original catalogue.

Me with my prize from the coordinate contest! I was also carrying my black bat handbag, but it's not in this photo.

Headdress: Moi-même-Moitié and Antique Beast

Blouse: Moi-même-Moitié

JSK: Moi-même-Moitié 

Corset: Sheglit

Socks: Moi-même-Moitié

Brooch: Custom Bara No Seidou brooch from Dream Cathedral

Jewellery: Moi-même-Moitié and offbrand

The highlight of this event was definitely getting to meet Mana in person! My friends and I all had VIP tickets so we got to go in ahead of the raffle ticket winners. We lined up outside of a small room and waited to be called in. Once it was my turn, the WW staff member gestured me inside and closed the door.

Mana was standing inside of the small room. Of course, he did not talk, but he took my hands very firmly in his and stared into my eyes very intensely. I was really anxious so I didn't have anything to say except "Thank you so much, Mana-sama!" like the awkward dork that I am. He the handed me a rose with a Moi-meme-Moitie ribbon tied around the stem (I immediately stabbed myself on the thorns because I'm dumb). His face was quite stoic the whole time, but he looked at me and gave me what I'd like to think was an approving nod, and he seemed to like my Bara No Seidou pin as well.

Everyone who had a VIP ticket or winning raffle ticket received a rose and a signed photo. You could bring other items for him to sign, so I asked for him to sign the cover of my Magnifique photo book. I had been debating between bringing a copy of GLB #1 or the book, but I was worried about the magazine getting squashed in my luggage, so Magnifique it was!

The spoils of war! My signed copy of Magnifique, signed catalogue, Jewel Cross pendant, phone strap, and rose.

I've never seen this phone strap before. Maybe it's a new item, or really old stock? They don't have a whole lot of them.

A few interesting pages from the catalogue. Pajamas, an apron, bloomers, and jewellery!

Shopping

I barely had time to browse the vendors because I was tied up with the 2 fashion shows back-to-back. Firstly, I picked up my preorder from Lady Sloth - the My Spooky Macarons OP in orange with the matching headbow. It's soft and lightweight, so not ideal for Halloween weather, but it's adorable and super comfy.

Lady Sloth My Spooky Macarons OP and matching headbow

Look at the cute ghost kitty necklace it came with!

Puvithel was kind enough to give me a goodie bag as a thank you for modelling!

Inside the zippered pouch were some cute pins, an iron-on patch, and these awesome syringe pens. I also bought the rose ring from her booth.

I also stopped by the Moitié booth and ended up grabbing the Alchemy phone case. Most of the items that they had for sale were things I already owned or didn't find too interesting, but I still wanted to get something from them.

The phone strap looks cute with the case! It juuuust barely fits my OnePlus.

Lastly, I grabbed a few small accessories: Metamorphose Fluttering Ribbon Lace OTKs, a black and gold headdress from Sweet Mildred, and a zippered pouch from Eat Me Ink Me.

I finally have a proper black x gold headdress after being in the fashion for...4 years now?

After the event wrapped up, people started heading out for the Kamijo concert and meet and greet planned for later that evening. I didn't get tickets because I'd already seen Versailles back home in Toronto pretty recently (I also ran into the band in a restaurant after the concert and got to talk to them a little bit, which was awesome!). In retrospect, I'm really glad I didn't go because I was so exhausted that I probably wouldn't have enjoyed it very much. Instead we got into comfy clothes and went to an Italian restaurant near our hotel, where we ran into Mana's entourage! He eats really slowly. It's precious.

That just about sums up my report on Day 1 of Eternal Twilight! I'll be back soon with a post about the Shakespearean Night tea party and the rest of my Finland escapades. Maybe after I recover...