Gravure Models - The Fine Line Between Cute and Erotic
Soft lighting, wind swept bangs, strangely doe eyed expressions with seemingly out of place swimsuit shots on the fine line of absolutely corny and genuinely sentimental- that's what comes to mind when you think of a standard gravure model photo session.
AKA suggestive but never X rated shoots of Japanese models that have an insane amount of popularity, entire shelves dedicated to them in bookstores and a fair share of controversy.
Gravure models/idols known as グラドル are Japanese female talents who model for a short time during their teens-twenties often in bikinis, underwear or in cosplay themes. Known for unabashedly showing the cute side of models, who try to look as pure as possible while clearly wearing very little, these photos are aimed at male audiences; printed in magazines, ads or books dedicated to one model. It's seen as a stepping stone for models to pass through before later becoming well known serious and award winning actresses, singers and voice actresses.
Although gravure models can range into their 30s,the industry is criticized for featuring models as young as junior high [not shown here], emphasizing traits that make models seem childish or naive while still being erotic. Case in point, many gravure fans say the best models have the “face of a baby and the body of a full grown woman” and schoolgirl outfits worn by actual school age girls make frequent appearances. On the flip side, most gravure models willingly participate in/publicize their books, make a solid income off sales, and even after the books are published suffer little hiring discrimination when moving to other professions.
One of the most famous of all time gravure models is Leah Dizon who was born in the US of French/Chinese-Filipino heritage, photos of her emerged online and the amount of searches/encouraging comments from Japanese viewers/fans pushed her to move to Japan in 2006.
After the success of her photo book "Petit Amie" she released successful pop albums, proof that gravure can be helpful to gain exposure so models can pursue their intended passion in the entertainment industry beyond sultry photos.
