A NYC Lolita convention! ...Named Loli-con...
So, NYCC/AF was more or less lovely and eventful, including a group of girls wearing... I don't know what, but they were passing out promotional post cards to pretty much anyone in anything frilly. On Saturday, I was walking with some friends when they gave me a lolipop and a post card for LOLI-CON NYC! I took it, laughed a little, notice the image on the card was kinda familiar, but didn't think much on it because they didn't list any solid information on the card: no prospective dates, no location, no website, and not even a facebook or Twitter. I didn't think that it would really go much of anywhere to really say much of anything, even after I realized where that image originally came from (more on that later).
Sunday comes about, and after finally escaping the main dealer's room, I get my ass settled in the "Making Lolita Work For You" panel, as hosted by a friend. I see three girls, again in questionable clothes, suddenly spin around, spot me and wave yet another one of these postcards at me. While the panel was already going. This was not exactly cool with me, but I politely shook my head and decline trying to stretch over rows to take it. They turned around and... spun back to flail a sticker at me instead. This time I blatantly made a less pleased face and declined again. After the panel, we all talked about it, all went "so does anyone know who exactly those girls are?" (no one amongst our group did, and we know most of the NYC lolitas) and agreed that using a bad trace of art from Cute-Plush creator Claire Belton was probably not the best way to try to promote a lolita convention.
Again, though, I don't think too much on it. Until I get an invite on facebook.
-Loli-con NYC invites me to become a fan with this message. I turn to amanikitty on AIM and lol a little.
-Here's their facebook page. Note the description.
-She (Amani) tells me that she started a thread calling the group out on the use of art theft. I also comment, but go to sleep before there is a reply.
-The image in question, along with a comment from Ms. Belton confirming that they did not indeed have permission to use that image. Nice Photoshop and use of acid colors. So Decora fairy-kei lolita.
-As seen above, they give the lamest excuse of "this is a coincidence" to explain the image. They also deny the flier waving. They did appear to leave, but at the end of the panel, someone from the group did directly speak with the panelists, as they properly should if they wanted to come off nicely in promoting the con. They did still actually wave things at me. They argue with Amani as I sleep. bakaneko47 also calls them out on theft and dodging the fact that it isn't their image.
-Thread gets deleted, allegedly because someone got banned from commenting.
-ugly_kitties is my hero and opens a new thread to discuss this. I naturally join in, since I couldn't see what was going on in the original thread and got no answers(Amani sent me caps later). Much debate ensues, and a few other lolis join in.
-Day goes on, sun sets and still no post on EGL to show they're serious. Doesn't take that long, ladies, and there's apparently a "staff", not just the one coordinator. Someone should be able to spare time, especially the time they're giving to "discuss" the issues with us. Maybe we're too elitist? Wrong demographic? But then again, if this is supposed to be a lolita convention...
-Where we also discuss their questionable dedication. Really, they had time to whip up post cards and stickers and get them printed, go to the con, ask cosplay groups (and never get replies) on how to conduct a con, but they never once think to go to EGL?
-It's also brought to light that they're using photos from what might also be a separate source that was not NYAF. Possibly pictures they didn't even take? I recognized shots from NYAF and they did take my picture, so I'm not offended there, but...
-frozenemotion9 brings to light where they were actually taken from and also calls this into question. Are they possibly promising too much?
This might be a little premature, but really... the childish name calling and poor planning and aaaaall the anime and cosplay stuff they're adding when they're saying they don't want this to be an anime or cosplaying convention is just so facepalm worthy. So thus, I'm making this post.
...WAIT, NOW THEY TOOK DOWN THEIR DISCUSSION BOARD! I CAN'T SHOW YOU WHERE THEY DISCUSS IF MIWAKO IS FAIRY-KEI LOLITA OR DECORA LOLITA!!! ;_____; Oh, poo.
Also, this is my first post here. If I tagged anything incorrectly, just let me know.
Edit:
Their facebook page with description.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT! WE'RE TOTALLY LISTENING TO EVERYTHING YOU HAVE TO SAY, AND WE'LL CONSIDER A PRIVATE INVITE FOR YOUR CLIQUISH GROUP, BUT WE'RE ALL SOOOO BUSY (a.k.a. The whole messy discussion. GDI.)
UPDATE: Facebook page is down. I'm curious if the organizer took it down or if they had it removed by facebook because of people reporting images of themselves they did not want on the page and the stolen artwork.
Sunday comes about, and after finally escaping the main dealer's room, I get my ass settled in the "Making Lolita Work For You" panel, as hosted by a friend. I see three girls, again in questionable clothes, suddenly spin around, spot me and wave yet another one of these postcards at me. While the panel was already going. This was not exactly cool with me, but I politely shook my head and decline trying to stretch over rows to take it. They turned around and... spun back to flail a sticker at me instead. This time I blatantly made a less pleased face and declined again. After the panel, we all talked about it, all went "so does anyone know who exactly those girls are?" (no one amongst our group did, and we know most of the NYC lolitas) and agreed that using a bad trace of art from Cute-Plush creator Claire Belton was probably not the best way to try to promote a lolita convention.
Again, though, I don't think too much on it. Until I get an invite on facebook.
-Loli-con NYC invites me to become a fan with this message. I turn to amanikitty on AIM and lol a little.
-Here's their facebook page. Note the description.
-She (Amani) tells me that she started a thread calling the group out on the use of art theft. I also comment, but go to sleep before there is a reply.
-The image in question, along with a comment from Ms. Belton confirming that they did not indeed have permission to use that image. Nice Photoshop and use of acid colors. So Decora fairy-kei lolita.
-As seen above, they give the lamest excuse of "this is a coincidence" to explain the image. They also deny the flier waving. They did appear to leave, but at the end of the panel, someone from the group did directly speak with the panelists, as they properly should if they wanted to come off nicely in promoting the con. They did still actually wave things at me. They argue with Amani as I sleep. bakaneko47 also calls them out on theft and dodging the fact that it isn't their image.
-Thread gets deleted, allegedly because someone got banned from commenting.
-ugly_kitties is my hero and opens a new thread to discuss this. I naturally join in, since I couldn't see what was going on in the original thread and got no answers(Amani sent me caps later). Much debate ensues, and a few other lolis join in.
-Day goes on, sun sets and still no post on EGL to show they're serious. Doesn't take that long, ladies, and there's apparently a "staff", not just the one coordinator. Someone should be able to spare time, especially the time they're giving to "discuss" the issues with us. Maybe we're too elitist? Wrong demographic? But then again, if this is supposed to be a lolita convention...
-Where we also discuss their questionable dedication. Really, they had time to whip up post cards and stickers and get them printed, go to the con, ask cosplay groups (and never get replies) on how to conduct a con, but they never once think to go to EGL?
-It's also brought to light that they're using photos from what might also be a separate source that was not NYAF. Possibly pictures they didn't even take? I recognized shots from NYAF and they did take my picture, so I'm not offended there, but...
-frozenemotion9 brings to light where they were actually taken from and also calls this into question. Are they possibly promising too much?
This might be a little premature, but really... the childish name calling and poor planning and aaaaall the anime and cosplay stuff they're adding when they're saying they don't want this to be an anime or cosplaying convention is just so facepalm worthy. So thus, I'm making this post.
...WAIT, NOW THEY TOOK DOWN THEIR DISCUSSION BOARD! I CAN'T SHOW YOU WHERE THEY DISCUSS IF MIWAKO IS FAIRY-KEI LOLITA OR DECORA LOLITA!!! ;_____; Oh, poo.
Also, this is my first post here. If I tagged anything incorrectly, just let me know.
Edit:
Their facebook page with description.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT! WE'RE TOTALLY LISTENING TO EVERYTHING YOU HAVE TO SAY, AND WE'LL CONSIDER A PRIVATE INVITE FOR YOUR CLIQUISH GROUP, BUT WE'RE ALL SOOOO BUSY (a.k.a. The whole messy discussion. GDI.)
UPDATE: Facebook page is down. I'm curious if the organizer took it down or if they had it removed by facebook because of people reporting images of themselves they did not want on the page and the stolen artwork.