Colorful Fruits sets up at Plan B

The Japanese are known for jumping on North American trends. Now, Ayaka Yoshioka is bringing Japan to Halifax. Plan B’s (2180 Gottingen Street) newest member brings a young, feminine vibrancy to the co-op. The Colorful Fruits cubby at the back of the shop is petite, but its contents live up to its name. Yoshioka orders the trendiest accessories from Japan, like hairclips, compacts and teddy bear key chains, then bedazzles them with multi-coloured rhinestones and other plastic decorations. The real gems of her collection, though, are colour pencil drawings of what Yoshioka calls “Lolitas”: romantic anime-style girls with bodacious hair and wooing eyes. Done by the designer herself, they are delightfully detailed examples of Japanese pop art. “My expensive, more gorgeous things are already gone,” says the designer, who only set up shop last week.