Even people called designers and creators don't create something from nothing. From childhood through impressionable teenage years and when they start to think about their own careers, they are influenced by many people, things and events. These influences extend to the designer's style, and can sometimes be a source of strength and sometimes a burden. So, what kind of people have influenced Yoshio Kubo, the designer of "yoshiokubo"? (Planning, interviews and writing by Matsushita Yaro)
The first name that came up was surprisingly Japanese, and in a different line of work than Kubo: Ramo Nakajima (1952-2004, died at the age of 52).
Younger people may not know this, but he was a genius who started his career as a copywriter at an advertising agency, went on to lead a theater troupe (Shosatsu Gundan Lilliput Army), and was also active as a writer, actor, and musician.However, he also led a turbulent life, suffering from illness caused by heavy drinking and being arrested for possession of illegal drugs.
When Kubo was in high school, he had seen Nakajima Ramo on TV, but his only impression was that he was a strange guy. However, a trusted friend had seen him perform in Lilliput Army and raved about him, saying, "It's so funny!" This piqued his interest, and he borrowed and read Nakajima's book, "Tonight at All the Bars (Kodansha Bunko)." The book is said to be a novel about his experience of recovering from alcoholism, based on his own experiences.
"My memory is hazy, but there was a line in the book that went something like, 'To a fly's eyes, the world looks upside down, and that's how it flies.' It really made an impression on me," he said. After that, he read Nakajima's works one after another, and became fascinated by the fascinating perspectives that appear here and there in his work.
He often read it on the planes traveling between America and Japan, and would often wonder, "How did someone come up with such an idea?" At the time, he was studying fashion at an American university, but he had a strong desire for others to see his own clothes in the same way. "When you look at things, you have to look at them from a completely different angle than normal."
It would be impossible to reach the world seen by someone who was an alcoholic and had drug addiction, but the young Kubo was impressed by the uniqueness of his perspective.
The second is Matthew Barney, an American contemporary artist who was the longtime partner of Icelandic singer Björk. I first encountered his work when I got a job in New York after graduating from school, and was working with a designer who was my mentor.
Kubo had never heard of Matthew. He happened to be passing by the Whitney Museum of American Art, which was then located on the Upper East Side, and was shocked when he first came across his work. He spent the whole day inside the museum, immersing himself in Matthew's world. "I still love him to death."
His expression ranges from installations to movies, but when talking about Matthew, he gets passionate, saying, "How should I put it, it's really unique, the atmosphere." What impresses him most is, in Kubo's words, his "extreme attention to detail." This dedication to even the invisible parts seems to have influenced Kubo's own style.
This is also in line with the phrase "God is in the details," which is a phrase often used by German architects. It means that if you only pay attention to what is visible and neglect the details, the quality of the work will decline. In other words, Matthew's details inspire stories that you would never think of. Kubo, who wanted to avoid "running on railroad tracks," was deeply influenced by this.
Kubo drew designs every day during his commute on the subway. This was because he believed that "I won't be recognized as a designer unless I find something that I can win in the world." He drew and drew, searching for something that he could win.
(2001, at a studio in New York)
It's the details that Kubo knows she can win. That's why she pays meticulous attention to detail. Each collection is full of details that are unique to Kubo, such as the way she uses zippers and the size of pockets, which she changes each time. It's been over 10 years since she launched the brand, and foreign buyers often tell her, "The details are interesting." When Kubo responds to such reactions with, "That makes me happy," her expression shows a softness and a sense of relief and openness.
The third person is the African-American boxer Muhammad Ali. He once called himself Cassius Clay, but converted to Islam and changed his name. He is a legendary boxer whose famous saying is "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee." "I watched videos of his fights, I watched movies about Ali, and I collected all kinds of Ali-related items," he says.
Although he made his living from boxing, which was essentially a sport known as "fighting," Kubo found creative elements in Ali both inside and outside the ring.
It's his boxing style, the many famous quotes he left behind, his coolness as a subject, everything. "I've always wanted to be like that."
Kubo's love for ants is genuine. He even named his second daughter after ants. "Everyone was against it, saying it would be a shame for her to be bullied because of a name like that, but my mom was the only one who supported it, saying, 'It's fine. We can't let ourselves be defeated just because of a name,'" Kubo says with a laugh.
Ramo Nakajima, Matthew Barney, Muhammad Ali.
They say there's a fine line between genius and idiot, but these guys are all over the top geniuses. Some are drug addicts and alcoholics who have seen the "other world," and others have physical talents that surpass those of ordinary people, so it's hard for Kubo, who seems normal in some ways, to compete with them. Kubo knows this too.
"Of course, that's true. It's impossible, it's impossible. When I think about their existence, I sometimes feel pathetic. But I want to pursue something different, honestly and soberly."While influenced by the three, Kubo has taken only the essence and made it his own, facing his work with sincerity in a way that is typical of him.
The first name that came up was surprisingly Japanese, and in a different line of work than Kubo: Ramo Nakajima (1952-2004, died at the age of 52).
Younger people may not know this, but he was a genius who started his career as a copywriter at an advertising agency, went on to lead a theater troupe (Shosatsu Gundan Lilliput Army), and was also active as a writer, actor, and musician.However, he also led a turbulent life, suffering from illness caused by heavy drinking and being arrested for possession of illegal drugs.
When Kubo was in high school, he had seen Nakajima Ramo on TV, but his only impression was that he was a strange guy. However, a trusted friend had seen him perform in Lilliput Army and raved about him, saying, "It's so funny!" This piqued his interest, and he borrowed and read Nakajima's book, "Tonight at All the Bars (Kodansha Bunko)." The book is said to be a novel about his experience of recovering from alcoholism, based on his own experiences.
"My memory is hazy, but there was a line in the book that went something like, 'To a fly's eyes, the world looks upside down, and that's how it flies.' It really made an impression on me," he said. After that, he read Nakajima's works one after another, and became fascinated by the fascinating perspectives that appear here and there in his work.
He often read it on the planes traveling between America and Japan, and would often wonder, "How did someone come up with such an idea?" At the time, he was studying fashion at an American university, but he had a strong desire for others to see his own clothes in the same way. "When you look at things, you have to look at them from a completely different angle than normal."
It would be impossible to reach the world seen by someone who was an alcoholic and had drug addiction, but the young Kubo was impressed by the uniqueness of his perspective.
The second is Matthew Barney, an American contemporary artist who was the longtime partner of Icelandic singer Björk. I first encountered his work when I got a job in New York after graduating from school, and was working with a designer who was my mentor.
Kubo had never heard of Matthew. He happened to be passing by the Whitney Museum of American Art, which was then located on the Upper East Side, and was shocked when he first came across his work. He spent the whole day inside the museum, immersing himself in Matthew's world. "I still love him to death."
His expression ranges from installations to movies, but when talking about Matthew, he gets passionate, saying, "How should I put it, it's really unique, the atmosphere." What impresses him most is, in Kubo's words, his "extreme attention to detail." This dedication to even the invisible parts seems to have influenced Kubo's own style.
This is also in line with the phrase "God is in the details," which is a phrase often used by German architects. It means that if you only pay attention to what is visible and neglect the details, the quality of the work will decline. In other words, Matthew's details inspire stories that you would never think of. Kubo, who wanted to avoid "running on railroad tracks," was deeply influenced by this.
Kubo drew designs every day during his commute on the subway. This was because he believed that "I won't be recognized as a designer unless I find something that I can win in the world." He drew and drew, searching for something that he could win.
(2001, at a studio in New York)
It's the details that Kubo knows she can win. That's why she pays meticulous attention to detail. Each collection is full of details that are unique to Kubo, such as the way she uses zippers and the size of pockets, which she changes each time. It's been over 10 years since she launched the brand, and foreign buyers often tell her, "The details are interesting." When Kubo responds to such reactions with, "That makes me happy," her expression shows a softness and a sense of relief and openness.
The third person is the African-American boxer Muhammad Ali. He once called himself Cassius Clay, but converted to Islam and changed his name. He is a legendary boxer whose famous saying is "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee." "I watched videos of his fights, I watched movies about Ali, and I collected all kinds of Ali-related items," he says.
Although he made his living from boxing, which was essentially a sport known as "fighting," Kubo found creative elements in Ali both inside and outside the ring.
It's his boxing style, the many famous quotes he left behind, his coolness as a subject, everything. "I've always wanted to be like that."
Kubo's love for ants is genuine. He even named his second daughter after ants. "Everyone was against it, saying it would be a shame for her to be bullied because of a name like that, but my mom was the only one who supported it, saying, 'It's fine. We can't let ourselves be defeated just because of a name,'" Kubo says with a laugh.
Ramo Nakajima, Matthew Barney, Muhammad Ali.
They say there's a fine line between genius and idiot, but these guys are all over the top geniuses. Some are drug addicts and alcoholics who have seen the "other world," and others have physical talents that surpass those of ordinary people, so it's hard for Kubo, who seems normal in some ways, to compete with them. Kubo knows this too.
"Of course, that's true. It's impossible, it's impossible. When I think about their existence, I sometimes feel pathetic. But I want to pursue something different, honestly and soberly."While influenced by the three, Kubo has taken only the essence and made it his own, facing his work with sincerity in a way that is typical of him.