In this second installment of the "yoshiokubo journal," we will share with you the thoughts and feelings that went into creating the 2021 Fall/Winter Collection . (Planned, interviewed, and written by Yaro Matsushita)
I've been running my own brand for over 10 years now, and I'm 47 years old, but recently I've been thinking that I want more young people to buy my clothes. As I get older, my customers get older too. That's natural, but I want young people to be interested in my clothes and wear them too.
To that end, I've recently been thinking strongly that I should go back to the time of my debut. There are positive aspects to having had so much experience and become familiar with it, but I've been reflecting on whether I've become too mature in many ways. The word "quiet" includes the word "adult," right? I wasn't conscious of it myself, but I think that may be the case.
I recently looked back at clothes from my old collections. I realized that I used to make incredibly elaborate clothes. They were very conceptual. I also used a lot of the switching that was my signature style at the time. Someone said to me a while ago, "Are you not using (switching) anymore?" It took me by surprise. That comment has stuck in my mind for quite some time.
Thinking back, I used to often say that "the clothes have to speak for themselves." Clothes that communicate without words from me, my PR, or my sales. How does this apply to my recent collections? Are the clothes speaking for themselves? It was with these thoughts in mind that I created my 2021-2022 Autumn/Winter collection.
Whether it's Pinterest or whatever, these days, if you just tap on your smartphone, clothing ideas are everywhere. Of course, it's two-dimensional, but it's easy to steal just the shape. So, what is the value of clothes that can't be imitated? It's the fabric, the print, the comfort, etc. I think it's the combination, or the multiplication, of these things.
I'd like to show off my clothing design, which goes back to the roots of my debut, in Tokyo for the first time in a while. The location is my company's office. It was recently renovated to be able to be used as a store, and it's a long, horizontal space with good natural light. The seating capacity is about 100, and I'd like to hold the same event two or three times. I want as many people as possible to see it, especially young people who are passionate about fashion.
I've been running my own brand for over 10 years now, and I'm 47 years old, but recently I've been thinking that I want more young people to buy my clothes. As I get older, my customers get older too. That's natural, but I want young people to be interested in my clothes and wear them too.
To that end, I've recently been thinking strongly that I should go back to the time of my debut. There are positive aspects to having had so much experience and become familiar with it, but I've been reflecting on whether I've become too mature in many ways. The word "quiet" includes the word "adult," right? I wasn't conscious of it myself, but I think that may be the case.
I recently looked back at clothes from my old collections. I realized that I used to make incredibly elaborate clothes. They were very conceptual. I also used a lot of the switching that was my signature style at the time. Someone said to me a while ago, "Are you not using (switching) anymore?" It took me by surprise. That comment has stuck in my mind for quite some time.
Thinking back, I used to often say that "the clothes have to speak for themselves." Clothes that communicate without words from me, my PR, or my sales. How does this apply to my recent collections? Are the clothes speaking for themselves? It was with these thoughts in mind that I created my 2021-2022 Autumn/Winter collection.
Whether it's Pinterest or whatever, these days, if you just tap on your smartphone, clothing ideas are everywhere. Of course, it's two-dimensional, but it's easy to steal just the shape. So, what is the value of clothes that can't be imitated? It's the fabric, the print, the comfort, etc. I think it's the combination, or the multiplication, of these things.
I'd like to show off my clothing design, which goes back to the roots of my debut, in Tokyo for the first time in a while. The location is my company's office. It was recently renovated to be able to be used as a store, and it's a long, horizontal space with good natural light. The seating capacity is about 100, and I'd like to hold the same event two or three times. I want as many people as possible to see it, especially young people who are passionate about fashion.