We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Juxica Baroque a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Juxica, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve done for my JFashion community would be producing Fashion shows.

In 2014, my local areas’ Anime convention, Anime St.Louis (ASTL) hosted their first official Fashion show.
At that time attendees showcased their own JFashion outfits to share with the audience.
I modeled that year, and later was asked to join staff due to my knowledge of JFashion.

What makes it so meaningful to me is bringing together people with a common interest.
Being able to provide opportunities for anyone to experience JFashion brings me joy.
Everyone is free to express themselves, feeling wonderful inside & out!
From being size inclusive, to supporting anyone regardless of how they identify, the Fashion Show & other events I do
are welcoming to all.
Learning what JFashion means to everyone, whether they share their own coordinates or model for a brand, it’s great to hear their stories.

Another reason would be all the small businesses and artists who I invite to showcase their work!
I feel in a world full of wanting the latest luxury name brands, people often overlook those small businesses that design and handmake items.
I appreciate every single designer I’ve worked with, and every attendee who has modeled for them!
It’s a great experience for everybody involved, and every year is memorable.

I’ve showcased some brands’ first fashion shows, and encouraged them to branch out resulting in their growth.
Helping out small businesses & artists is so fulfilling, I couldn’t ask for a more meaningful thing than that!

Juxica, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Alright then! My name is Juxica, and I coordinate events for JFashion enthusiasts!
So, to start off JFashion stands for “Japanese Fashion”, which is from a vibrant & unique subculture derived from Japan.
If you’ve heard of “Harajuku Fashion” that is where it originates from!

In relation to Japan, and all its modern culture lies anime, and anime conventions.
My local areas’ anime convention is Anime St. Louis (ASTL), and I have been volunteering with them since 2015.
A bit of my backstory would start a year prior in 2014, this was the year ASTL hosted their first official Fashion show.
Attendees showcased their own JFashion outfits to share what JFashion is.
I modeled, and later was asked to join staff due to my knowledge of JFashion.

I have been attending conventions & wearing JFashion since 2010.
Long before my time at conventions, I started learning everything about this amazing Fashion niche at a every young age.
Fast forward to today, and I have ran multiple fashion shows and created events for ASTL, all relating to JFashion for everyone to enjoy for nine years now!
I started off with small logistic tasks, from making the Fashion show at that time grow from it’s novice level each year.
Fast forward to today, and I now run the Fashion Programming events for ASTL!

Throughout my years volunteer staffing for ASTL, I have built up my experience and skills in a field I love and can’t get enough of.
There’s been great times and handfuls of challenges I faced.
I have always been an organized person (I blame being a Virgo, iykyk) & I have immersed myself in all tasks I have encountered.

In the anime convention life, regarding JFashion I have noticed a common challenge: It is often underestimated.
From not knowing how lucrative it can be for a con, down to having sufficient time and resources for scheduling.
I have experienced all of these things, and each year I work with the Convention to get everything I need for my events.
I alone bring in 6-8 JFashion events every con, and I make sure everything I execute is the best it can be with the resources I’m provided.

With everything that I’ve done, I’m personally proud of utilizing my skills to freelance with an international entertainment company called Fakestar USA.
They provide Anime Conventions across the nation with various guests from Japan & in the US.
From Music, to Fashion they always bring quality talent wherever they go.
Freelancing for them has been one of the most rewarding & fulfilling things for myself.
I’ve handled their Fashion guests, helped manage fashion shows they participate in, and even aid with booth work, which I wasn’t familiar with.
Everything I have done for Fakestar USA has been a memorable learning experience I’ll never forget.

Another thing I am really proud of is my areas’ community (stljfashioncomm).
There’s JFashion communities all over the nation and world, so it’s not just me that enjoys wearing “head turning ” clothing!
Unfortunately some people getting into JFashion may feel intimidated, from lack of confidence or the mentions of bullying in communities.
I can say with confidence, that our community doesn’t take that BS, and we are very inclusive!
With my events alone, ALL are supported in trying JFashion.
It doesn’t matter your size, disability, age, or how you identify. As long as you respect the fashion and the people wearing it, all are welcome!

After every con, I thank everyone involved because I do these events for them.
After all, there’d be no show if no one applied to model! There’d be no need for me creating events if no one attended!
So it happily works both ways.
(This seems soo long! But I could talk about it forever!)

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding thing with being a creative person, and creating events is literally the people.
Now, I am no social butterfly (INTP/INTJ here) but over the years I’ve enjoyed every bit of what I’ve done, with everyone.
Growing up I was drawn to those considered the “outcasts”. I’ve been into alternate fashion since before I knew what is was.
As a kid I’d see people from the Punks, Goths, Eccentric colorful old ladies & The overly dressed- I loved it all!
Being able to make events for the alternative fashion inclined is truly fulfilling to me. This subculture is for creatives without a doubt!

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I like this question!

So, in the JFashion community, we sometimes have “meets” where we literally meet up at a public venue and hang out wearing JFashion.
When this happens random people come up to us to ask: “What are wearing”, “What are we doing”, “What’s going on”, and sometimes “Are we in a play?”.
Going out in what we wear, is going to cause reactions, period.
You would have to know how to handle yourself to answer their curious questions!
We creatives understand what WE are doing, but others may not.
So, in a way from our point of view to a non-creative, answering a simple question of what our subculture is can get a non creative to understand a creative.

I hope that helps in someway. I guess in life just remember You’ll encounter all kinds of people!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/odayakajigoku/
• Other: The page I created to help share & connect our community:

  https://www.instagram.com/stljfashioncomm

Image Credits

First four images by: @melancholy.maiden.photography via instagram
Halloween Party Image by: @nostros.photography via instagram