“I don’t much think about how fashion “should” be. I feel that we are living in a time of diversity”

-You’ve finished your first collection, but how would you grade yourself?

I think I did good, considering that it was my first collection. But I don’t think I will ever be satisfied, and I never have been, so I hope to do better next time. There are so many things I want to do, so if I could do them all, that would be the best.

-What do you think is the biggest challenge for your next collection?

I think my biggest weakness is the fact that I don’t know basic things like about stores and boutiques. I don’t think I’m loosing from a creation point of view.

-Could you talk about your future direction?

I don’t think I made a mistake in not bringing down the quality, and I also felt that there are many more possibilities business-wise. From now on, as a new artist, I want to make new strategies and take on new ways of creating garments.

-What do you mean when you say “quality”?

The material, sewing quality and patterns, -the details and effort I put in each of the elements

-Are you satisfied with that aspect this collection?

Not satisfied but I still think it is better than the other stuff, so I want to raise that level more.

-Can you talk about the possibilities you mentioned?

I think that I have to come up with a new methodology, which will work with the high prices such as new selling routes. I am struggling with trying to sell my clothes to boutiques, but I am gaining personal cliental on the other hand, so I feel that I need to set my directions based on the hints I have acquired from that.

-What do you think that future of fashion is?

I don’t much think about how fashion “should” be. I feel that we are living in a time of diversity, so I think it all depends on what you want to do. Consumers will probably change too. I think that clothes on the cover of magazines will not sell like it used to, but rather more people will feel that that’s cheesy. When that time comes, that’s when people will choose what to wear based on their own values. That’s why creators will do what they want to, show it in a way they want to present it –through magazine or through the internet or maybe through doing a show-I think everyone will be different.

-You are starting a new Men’s line from next season. Why is that?

Simply because there was demand for it, but another reason is because there are no clothes that I want to wear, that I want to buy for myself. I think there’s something I can provide in that way.

-Ladies garments are not real for you but will Men’s clothes be real to you?

Detail-wise, it will probably be what I like, but size-wise it would have to fit other people so I have to think about that.

-What sort of a male figure would it be?

Same as the ladies line, -intellectual. There were people who asked me if there weren’t any Men’s version in this collection, and that makes me want to do it since I actually like doing Men’s. Buyers also told me that “since there are Men’s-like detail and concept, it may be more popular to Men.” Men tend to pay a higher prices for items like coats that is not trendy but can be worn for a long time, don’t you think? So in that way, I think my prices will meet the needs. I plan to have garments in the Ladies collection that can be worn by Men in a larger size, and there will be items that can be worn by both men and woman throughout the collection. It will not be “unisexual” per-say, but I sometimes buy Ladies clothes and some woman like larger sizes too, so.

-Your accessories to seem more like unisexual.

Yes. I plan to put out more jewelry in the future.
There are lots of possibilities in jewelry, and I don’t think many fashion designers do jewelry, so it is sort of fun for me.

-Are you going to make Men’s like jewelry?

There isn’t any jewelry that I want to wear either, so I’m thinking of simple jewelry that I want to wear myeself.

Interview & Text:Masaki Takida, Translation Amy for Atmosphere