Popular social networking sites like MySpace, Facebook and Mixi face a young, chic challenger. Poupeegirl is trying to steal the hearts of fashion-conscious young women, both in Japan and abroad.
Poupeegirl has drawn about 500,000 registered users since its launch in February 2007, 98 percent of whom are women.
The service has also caught the attention of fashion-related companies, including cosmetics maker Kose Corp. and famous luxury brands like Louis Vuitton and Coach as a cost-effective way of marketing their products.