Trend Watch Harajuku: Deco-den All Over!

18 Sep 2008 Category: Fashion, Japan, Products

Trend Watch Harajuku: Deco-den All Over!

And you thought a strap on your mobile phone is so fancy... Watch this Japanese DS covered in fake chocolate frosting and whipped cream. Delicious!

Lately we’ve been seeing a lot of super glammed out ketai a.k.a. mobile phones on the streets and trains of Tokyo — mobiles decorated with coloured crystals that make up faces, pets, wild patterns, or even the embellished faux-slice of cake topped with whipped cream and cherries! Deco-den, short for ‘decorated denwa’ (telephone), is THE total fashion trend right now which we simply cannot spare you. So today, PingMag visits the Glam Baby deco-den shop just around our corner in Harajuku and also talks to the folks at “Deco Style,” a special interest magazine, about how to glamourise your mobile.

Written by Ayana
Translated by Kevin Mcgue

Deco-den have been featured on Japanese TV shows and and magazines a lot recently. But when exactly did this trend start?


Comparatively simple but with a most gorgeous gradation!

We have been decorating mobile phones since 1998, says Mr. Watanabe at Glam Baby.
In 2003 and 2005, they became slightly popular, and this year there has been a wave of demand for decorated mobiles. People tend to associate decorated phones with trendy young women, but actually we have all sorts for customers. There is a deco-den shop in the 109 department store in Shibuya that creates flashy styles for girls, and those designs really stand out. Recently there has been an increase in the kinds of styles available, and you can see the whole range of possibilities.

We are curious! Let’s have a look at all of the deco-den styles available:

Decorative Wrappers

Wrapping decors are adhesive sheets with designs printed on one side that stick right onto the mobile. Compared to the popular style of gluing rhinestones onto the phone’s surface, this variation can achieve very detailed designs. That’s why this style has plenty of followers!

Flowers, donuts, and flash wrappers for your phone!

Rhinestones

Designs using rhinestones are a deco-den basic. And even if you use only rhinestones, there is such a wide variety of possibilities. By the way, designs with clean, straight lines are said to be popular with Tokyoites.

Pink deco-den dreams…

… colourful illustrations…

A vivid carp — precious!

The letters spell mischief, as if this phone could scream anything else with this wild decor!

3D Decorations

Just as the name implies, three-dimensional decorations add some depth to the simple shape of a mobile. There are many kinds of designs, from simple ones with only one 3D decor, to complex ones completely encrusted in with flowers and charms in 3D. We heard that 3D designs are more popular in Kansai than in Tokyo, which was believable considering the city’s reputation for fashion gaudiness!

How wonderful…! On the right, the heart-shaped mirror is actually the phone’s screen on its outer surface.

Sweets Decor

Lately, pastry decorations have been deliciously popular. And after fantasising about the sweet covered ketai, it will leave you shocked to find a real dial pad underneath. Using molds that appear to be realistic looking whipped cream, fruits and all sorts of other ingredients, you can have your mobiles transformed into your favorite sweets. How fabulous that toy maker Takaratomy just released DECOTTI, a do-it-yourself kit they developed with a famous pâtissier (!) With this kit, realistic sweets can beautify far more than just phones…

There must be a phone somewhere underneath all this cream…

Takaratomy’s DECOTTI kit to spice up your mobile with faux cake.

The How-to

Either you hand your precious mobile over to the deco-den pros at specialty shops, or you gather together the necessary parts and do it yourself — which is so much fun! Recently, the prices of parts have gone down, so the do-it-yourself mentality lends itself easily here!

Earlier, we told you about Glam Baby, the deco-den specialty shop. They opened first in 2000, and by now they have ten branches around Japan and even run a decoden school in Tokyo, with classes of around 50 students.

Just as sparkling as the phones they glamourise: Glam Baby’s Harajuku branch from the outside. On the right, watch their highly skilled worker decorating a mobile!

We asked them to teach us the basics of deco-den:

The Steps to a Dazzling Phone

First, the staff consult with the customer and decide on a design. Then, an illustration of the completed design is printed on adhesive sheet, and stuck to the phone.

An array of rhinestones on the left, and the tools to work on the mobile itself on the right. Elaborate!

Next, a very fine stick is used to apply an adhesive especially made for metals. Working quickly so the adhesive doesn’t dry, the stones are added one by one. Different sized stones are used to fit the available space. Since it is such exacting work, it takes two hours to complete one phone!

Applying adhesive… and one by one, the stones are put on the surface.

This handcraft isn’t exactly cheap: The price for an order-made decorated phone averages around ¥18,000 ($170). Rather pricey, we might say. That’s also why many of the customers are married women, rather than the teens and twenty somethings we expected.


“Deco Style” — a magazine devoted entirely to deco-den.

The new magazine “Deco Style” offers help to deco-den beginners, with information on everything from how to apply rhinestones to where to find parts.

“Deco Style” is selling very well right now, says Mr. Nogami, an editor at the magazine specialised on all kinds of dazzling decoration. From early teens to readers in their 40s and 50s, our magazine is bought by a wide range of women.

Now we only wonder what will happen with the deco-den trend in the future?

I think the use of decorative phone straps and decorations have become a part of Japanese culture, says Mr. Watanabe at Glam Baby.
It would be interesting to see this trend spread from Japan to other countries. Recently, we have Chinese and Korean students at our deco-den school, so I think there is a good possibility that this will spread overseas.

Only that was missing as a motif: your favourite pet on your mobile!

Now folks, what do you think of this new hot thing in Harajuku?

40 Comments

  1. awesome article, but that first photo isn’t of a mobile phone — it’s a ds lite!

    Posted by: eric_c on September 18th, 2008 at 8:43 pm

  2. [...] one more: Check out these decorated phones that are apparently All The Rage in Japan. Apparently the 3D style is more popular in Kansai. Hmm. [...]

    Posted by: Delightful Things for Thursday - Rampant Bicycle on September 18th, 2008 at 11:09 pm

  3. wow!

    very nice and creative.
    but wonder how does it feel when taking a long call and holding this in hand; is it comfortable

    Posted by: Paavani on September 19th, 2008 at 12:14 am

  4. how does one go about getting one of these in America ?

    Posted by: trouc on September 19th, 2008 at 12:50 am

  5. Already here in the US — and I think it must have occurred simultaneously and independent of the Japanese movement…. this is a store one of my friends works at here in Rochester, NY

    http://www.crystalicing.com/

    Posted by: Adasc on September 19th, 2008 at 1:10 am

  6. Look a bit tacky to me…

    Posted by: luke on September 19th, 2008 at 3:13 am

  7. They look so tasty haha, way too much stuff on the cake ones to be very functional though?

    Posted by: Troy on September 19th, 2008 at 10:01 am

  8. hideous!

    Posted by: Warren on September 19th, 2008 at 11:29 am

  9. they look — as we say in Singapore — really “auntie”

    Posted by: Ling on September 19th, 2008 at 2:06 pm

  10. Apart from the rhinestones, I see these serving very little aesthetic purpose outside of Japan.

    But I must say that it’s so very cute. :)

    Posted by: Kym on September 19th, 2008 at 3:24 pm

  11. That is so amazing! I want to go Japan just for that, and it looks so fun too!

    Thanks

    Posted by: Katie on September 19th, 2008 at 5:43 pm

  12. OMG!Those designs are really over the top ridiculous. How can you actually manage holding your mobile next to your ear when there are strawberries and whip cream as a fake piece of cake, wonder how many inches wide…
    This trend can be listed under http://www.ridiculousdesignrules.com a platform that makes a mock of rules that have been passed to us by people who think they know more about design than we do.Now you can submit ridiculous images and annecdotes that you came across. This trend should be up for the vote. Check it out, the website is really funny.

    Posted by: verena on September 19th, 2008 at 6:27 pm

  13. omgee i wish we have this in the philippines! glam baby

    Posted by: berni on September 19th, 2008 at 7:51 pm

  14. that first one isnt a mobil, it’s a nintendo ds

    Posted by: zita on September 21st, 2008 at 7:41 am

  15. [...] Source If you liked this, you would also be interested in:7 Prisoners Hospitalised With Phones in Rectums [...]

    Posted by: Softcraze: Technology Journal, Gadget News » Japanese master the art of glamorising mobile phones! on September 21st, 2008 at 8:00 pm

  16. Cool article! The rhinestones on the cell phone are too much for my taste, but I love the decoration on the DS. I can totally imagine myself taking out my DS and getting crazy looks–I love it!

    Oh, and to you guys saying that it’s a DS at the top, if you read the description under the picture, it says:

    “And you thought a strap on your mobile phone is so fancy… Watch this Japanese DS covered in fake chocolate frosting and whipped cream. Delicious!”

    The writer knows it’s a DS. :x

    Posted by: Nelore on September 21st, 2008 at 11:07 pm

  17. I always wanted to customize my celphone but I just don’t know how to do it :P

    Do you know any website with tutorials or something like that?

    Posted by: Rafael Masoni on September 22nd, 2008 at 1:35 am

  18. Interesting article but I can’t say I like the decoration myself. My phone is naked, just as god intended.

    Posted by: MiNGLED on September 22nd, 2008 at 9:11 am

  19. [...] Via PingMag [...]

    Posted by: Pimp Your Phone Into A…Cake?! | things about phones on September 22nd, 2008 at 11:12 pm

  20. re: Nelore

    That’s because the description was edited shortly afterwards!

    Posted by: eric_c on September 23rd, 2008 at 1:17 am

  21. re: eric_c

    Really? Haha, wow~ xD

    But, that’s good! At least our comments are being read! :3

    Posted by: Nelore on September 23rd, 2008 at 5:17 am

  22. [...] no PingMag] Por Pati Rabelo Tags: Celulares, Japão  Sem [...]

    Posted by: Bem Resolvida » Blog Archive » pimp my phone on September 25th, 2008 at 9:59 am

  23. [...] plutot la selection de Pingmag, qui recense des deco-den pour tous les gouts : des stickers classiques aux decorations a coller, [...]

    Posted by: Deco-den, décorez votre téléphone on September 26th, 2008 at 9:56 pm

  24. This is not a mobile phone, Verena.
    This is a PSP.
    Please.

    sent from: fav.or.it [FID2310847]

    Posted by: sandycharm on October 8th, 2008 at 10:26 pm

  25. Hi,
    i love it,so where i can find this thinks to make here @ my country suriname/south america.
    i will really thank full if somebody help to me.
    kisses

    Posted by: monique on October 24th, 2008 at 10:41 pm

  26. Also found a site here.
    http://www.be-and-feel.com/

    Posted by: Zan on November 20th, 2008 at 3:14 pm

  27. [...] http://pingmag.jp/2008/09/18/decoden/ .gallery { margin: auto; } .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 33%; } .gallery img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } [...]

    Posted by: deco-den « todo kawaii on December 17th, 2008 at 6:45 pm

  28. i love it! i ordered supplies from japan and deco-ed my phone :3

    Posted by: laura on February 28th, 2009 at 8:07 am

  29. [...] Lately we’ve been seeing a lot of super glammed out ketai a.k.a. mobile phones on the streets and trains of Tokyo — mobiles decorated with coloured crystals that make up faces, pets, wild patterns, or even the embellished faux-slice of cake topped with whipped cream and cherries! Deco-den, short for ‘decorated denwa’ (telephone), is THE total fashion trend right now which we simply cannot spare you. Read the full story>> [...]

    Posted by: Kevin Mcgue - Tokyo-Based Journalist & Filmmaker » Trend Watch Harajuku: Deco-den All Over! on March 1st, 2009 at 10:12 am

  30. [...] “Lately, pastry decorations have been deliciously popular. And after fantasising about the sweet covered ketai (cellphone), it will leave you shocked to find a real dial pad underneath. Using molds that appear to be realistic looking whipped cream, fruits and all sorts of other ingredients, you can have your mobiles transformed into your favorite sweets. How fabulous that toy maker Takaratomy just released DECOTTI, a do-it-yourself kit they developed with a famous pâtissier (!) With this kit, realistic sweets can beautify far more than just phones…” - by pingmag [...]

    Posted by: jpopexpress.com - Decochan : whipped-cream your gears! on March 19th, 2009 at 3:14 pm

  31. [...] “Lately, pastry decorations have been deliciously popular. And after fantasising about the sweet covered ketai (cellphone), it will leave you shocked to find a real dial pad underneath. Using molds that appear to be realistic looking whipped cream, fruits and all sorts of other ingredients, you can have your mobiles transformed into your favorite sweets. How fabulous that toy maker Takaratomy just released DECOTTI, a do-it-yourself kit they developed with a famous pâtissier (!) With this kit, realistic sweets can beautify far more than just phones…” - by pingmag [...]

    Posted by: Decochan : whipped-cream your gears! « Skinniwini’s Blog on March 22nd, 2009 at 6:02 am

  32. Hi hi, 

Please visit me at crazycandycake.vox.com….Ｃａｎｄｙ∞Ｃａｋｅ 小物 website ! I am a deco-den fanatic..hehe.. I have just started on my kawaii deco-den/decora/decolation creations so alot handmade items I make are limited/few and cheap (= Please do take a look and PM me if you’re interested! 

Lastly, i hope you like and leave any comments/suggestions for my website so i can improve on it thanks (=

    This vox website will be a virtual place to set up my love and adoration for Decoden 小物 .A place for me to sell and you to purchase my creations! Please don’t mind and make yourselves comfortable in your little stay here. (つ❤з❤)つshuhui 

    Posted by: shuduck on May 21st, 2009 at 12:56 am

  33. KAWAII DESHOOOOO…

    Posted by: Anonymous on June 25th, 2009 at 5:51 pm

  34. [...] via pingmag Fenke [...]

    Posted by: TRÈS PLUS COOL - FASHIONBLOG» fashion style you can say that again » Deco-Den : More is better | Customize your cellphone, Kawaii-Style on July 11th, 2009 at 6:23 pm

  35. wow!! i love decoration !!

    Posted by: Liliana on July 18th, 2009 at 10:31 am

  36. so cute lorh that stuff..i want it too…

    Posted by: miea on July 27th, 2009 at 10:23 pm

  37. strappya-world.com

    Posted by: hemione90 on January 5th, 2010 at 10:25 pm

  38. You can buy rhinestones decoden from this site…based in Europe.

    Posted by: Peyda on January 10th, 2010 at 9:25 pm

  39. http://www.Lainspired.com

    Posted by: peyda on January 10th, 2010 at 9:25 pm

  40. You can buy rhinestones decoden from this site…based in Europe..ships worldwide.

    http://www.LAinspired.com

    Posted by: Peyda on January 10th, 2010 at 11:18 pm

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