On Saturday, 29 March 2014, model Marie Iitoyo came to PINK-latte inside SoLaDo on Takeshita-dori for a fan meet-and-greet tied to a multi-store tour. The Harajuku stop was the last on a route that had already passed Nagoya, Itami, Niigata, and Funabashi. Shibuya Channel covered the day — the crowds, the two-shot booth, the sold-out collaboration pieces, and a short interview after the line finally thinned.
It is not a current store guide. What follows is how one of Japan’s most visible teen models looked at fashion, fans, and Harajuku at the moment she was graduating from Nicola magazine.
A spring-break Harajuku crush
Harajuku on event day felt like peak spring break: dense foot traffic, Takeshita-dori packed end to end. Inside PINK-latte’s SoLaDo branch, fans waited for two-shot photos with Iitoyo. Collaboration items — a cap and T-shirt she had helped design — reportedly sold out almost immediately after doors opened. Outside, a ticket-style queue stretched along the shop wall.
The photo session ran in a street-facing booth. Staff had written “PLT” on her cheek in cute lettering; coverage emphasized her height, smile, and the way even a quick glance drew cheers from the crowd. Fans ranged from elementary-school kids to adults — a breadth that surprised even the team on the ground.
After the public portion, Iitoyo posed with PINK-latte staff and signed in-store posters. She ended the day with a short Q&A for Shibuya Channel.
What the tour stop meant to her
Asked how the final Harajuku date felt, Iitoyo said she had felt real love from fans who traveled from as far as Shizuoka, Nagoya, Tottori, and Fukuoka — some attending twice. Harajuku’s audience skewed young, which matched the brand’s core.
She had recently held a “graduation ceremony” from Nicola, and many visitors had come specifically to congratulate her on leaving the magazine that first made her famous. She said Nicola had been the right door in. Appearances on Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger had also brought younger boys into her fan base; she mentioned toddlers around three to five showing up, which delighted her.
On personal style, she described a casual wardrobe — simple pieces, pop accents, and frequent off-duty PINK-latte items because she genuinely wore the label.
Why she kept recommending PINK-latte
Pressed for the brand’s appeal, Iitoyo pointed to variety: many tastes under one roof, strong design, and thoughtful details such as shorts sewn into short skirts. If she imagined a look, she said, PINK-latte usually had something close. She also praised the shoe selection, the wide cap range, and non-apparel lines — makeup tools, snacks, and small goods — that made the shop feel bigger than a clothing rack.
The event-only collaboration
For Harajuku she co-designed a cap and T-shirt.
The cap used a paisley pattern she expected to trend that year, off-white with navy accents and a yellow lining — “banana color,” she called it — plus her Banatoyo-kun mascot mark and green logo accents.
The T-shirt aimed for easy styling: front text reading “THE SKY IS THE LIMIT,” a phrase she loved for its idea that limits are imaginary. Stars on the body and gold lamé on the banana peel on the back were deliberate highlights; the reverse carried a special signature variant not used on her everyday autograph.
Harajuku habits and what came next
Off duty, she still visited Harajuku with friends — shopping at PINK-latte, wandering Meiji-dori, exploring back streets, browsing zakka shops, and eating crepes. She admitted to people-watching in the crowds for inspiration.
Looking forward, she had just advanced to second year of high school and wanted to balance school and work without cutting corners. From April 2014 she would appear on Mezamashi TV as an “Imadoki Girl” reporter — her first morning broadcast role. Acting alongside modeling was the longer goal; she named Yui Aragaki as the kind of transparent, gentle actress she admired. Recent film picks included Frozen (she downloaded the soundtrack daily) and a wish list entry for Kick-Ass 2.
Her closing message pointed readers to her blog, Twitter, Instagram (including upbeat video posts), and WEAR for daily outfit ideas.
Profile snapshot (as listed in 2014)
- Born: 5 January 1998 (age 16 at time of feature)
- Stats: 167 cm; shoe 24.5 cm; B75 W56 H88
- From: Chiba Prefecture; blood type B
- Skills / hobbies: walking, making people laugh, tongue twisters; collecting PET-bottle caps
- Notable credits then: Nicola exclusive model (June 2011 – May 2014); Mezamashi TV from April 2014; TV and film roles including Kyoryuger, S: The Last Policeman, NHK Taiyo no Wana, and a Yo ni mo Kimyo na Monogatari episode opposite Rena Nonen
Store facts (historical)
- Shop: PINK-latte, SoLaDo Takeshita-dori
- Address: 1-8-2 Jingumae, SoLaDo Takeshita-dori 1F, Shibuya
- Phone: 03-5775-6627
- Hours (historical): weekdays 10:30–20:30; weekends and holidays 10:30–21:00; open year-round
- SoLaDo site (historical): http://www.solado.jp/
Harajuku’s pedestrian energy — the same basin visible from a Shibuya Crossing live camera — made this finale feel like the right last stop. Confirm current tenants before visiting. Travelers stacking Shibuya culture stops with a longer outing can compare options in best day trip from Tokyo.
