AyaBambi have vogued for Hussein Chalayan and posed for Alexander Wang – this is what you need to know about them
Out of the line up of the misfit models stalking Alexander Wang’s AW15 campaign (including a wet-haired Dazed cover star Molly Bair), there were two faces you won’t have seen stomping down the runway – but might recognise from the depths of YouTube. Aya Sato and Bambi (together known as AyaBambi) are the Japanese dance duo and irl engaged couple who have become an internet sensation by mixing and matching the ancient and honourable New York-born art of Voguing with a collar-and-platforms Goth look that wouldn’t look out of place in an 80s London Industrial warehouse party or the darkest corners of Tokyo. We hit up the power couple and found out three things you need to know about them.
THEY VOGUED FOR HUSSEIN CHALAYAN
As a part of the MOVEment project, created by AnOther Magazine in collaboration with Sadler's Wells, AyaBambi were featured in one of the fashion films directed by seven standout contemporary directors, and featuring seven bespoke created collections by leading fashion designers. Clad in head-to-toe Hussein Chalayan, the couple collaborated with FKA twigs’ choreographer Ryan Heffington to create fluid, hyper-synchronised shapes against a white background, soundtracked by straightforward electronic beats. “The clothes and the movie are both very simple and deep, which we love,” say the couple, arguing that you don’t need to be in gym gear to dance to your best ability – “sometimes the form of the clothes is more important than the freedom or beauty of the physical body.”
THEY MET ALEXANDER WANG THANKS TO MADONNA
When featuring alongside Jeremy Scott and Beyoncé as the goth duo in Madonna’s latest star-studded party video, AyaBambi came across Alexander Wang – which led them to star in his heavy-metal inspired AW15 campaign. According to him, it was love at first sight: ”I’ve been watching Aya and Bambi for a while since I stumbled upon them online,” he told WWD. “Coincidentally, they had just been cast for Madonna and I met them at M’s party in Paris and fell in love. They all are such individuals yet they all fit the characters of this collection seamlessly.”
THEY ARE ENGAGED – DESPITE JAPAN’S ANTI-GAY MARRIAGE LAWS
“We met by chance,” say the pair of their “inevitable” meeting, having just celebrated their two-and-a-half year anniversary. But although their PDAs (and very cute emoji use) are absolutely adored on Instagram, their happy engagement stands directly opposed to Japan’s anti-gay marriage politics, which are strongly conservative (only Tokyo issues “partnership” certificates). AyaBambi are going their own way as usual, and are on their way to be married – as well as recently celebrating gay marriage in a short film for Vogue.
