This is Kubo.
On September 4th, 2024, we held the Spring/Summer 2025 Runway Show together with "the famous" Yoshimoto Shinkigeki. This collaboration was a long-held idea I had been nurturing as a native of Osaka, and it was brought to fruition to commemorate our 20th anniversary. It was a little different from regular fashion shows, the models were different from usual, and it was simply "super fun." Let's take a look back at this show.

Yoshimoto Shinkigeki, because of the comedy culture

Before I talk about this show, let me tell you a little about my childhood.

When we were in elementary school, we had classes until the fourth period on Saturdays, and when we got home after that, our "regular lunch" would be ready for us, and after we'd finish eating and take a break, we'd go out and play. That was our weekly routine. The Saturday lunch menu was pretty much the same, and in our case we'd have okonomiyaki and yakisoba, and sometimes modanyaki (a "modern" okonomiyaki with yakisoba noodles sandwiched inside).

The TV show I would watch while eating lunch was always "Yoshimoto Shinkigeki." I believed that it was the only TV show broadcast at that time in Japan that children could enjoy, and I remember it being positioned as a show that "was a given that I would watch," rather than something I had to watch.

In that sense, in Osaka - at least in the area around me - Yoshimoto Shinkigeki and "comedy" have been a part of my life since I was a child, and even as I grew up they remained an inseparable part of my heart, and I feel that they still have a profound influence on the way I live my life.

In Osaka dialect, the word "omoroi" is used to describe something creative or something that no one has ever seen or heard before, and in Osaka there is a culture of praising someone who does something different from others by saying, "You're so funny! You could become a Yoshimoto comedian." For children, receiving such praise is a status symbol. It helped them develop the feeling that "doing things differently is a good thing" and boosted their self-esteem for trying to do things differently.

It was because of Yoshimoto Shinkigeki that I was able to freely express my own "color" without being afraid, and it was Yoshimoto Shinkigeki and the existence of Yoshimoto comedians that made me feel like it was okay to do "funny things." Also, as a fashion designer, I think it is deeply connected to the brand's identity, which is "to pursue patterns and details that have never been seen before and create clothes that no one has ever seen before."

That's why I can only say I'm overwhelmed with emotion that we were able to hold a show commemorating our 20th anniversary with Yoshimoto Shinkigeki as part of Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo (Tokyo Collection).

All I can say is that professional scriptwriters are amazing!

This time, it was during the Tokyo Collection period, and other brands were also holding shows, but we received happy reactions such as, "Among them all, yoshiokubo's show was unique. I've never seen a show like that!" "I've never seen anything like it" is one of the highest compliments in the fashion industry, so I was really proud and glad that we did it.

Of course, I owe it to everyone at Yoshimoto Shinkigeki to make this show what it was. I was especially impressed by the scriptwriter.

At our first meeting, I explained my image of the show, saying, "It would be nice if it started in an udon shop and went something like 'Let's go see a show...'" When they presented me with the script, the show was naturally incorporated into the Yoshimoto Shinkigeki that I used to watch as a child! It was an interpretation of the Yoshimoto Shinkigeki style of fashion show, and all I could say was, "Wow, professionals are amazing!!"

The energy that creates laughter is incredible!

"The script is definitely interesting, but it's such an unprecedented endeavor that I wonder if the audience will be able to keep up... We won't know until the curtain goes up," I thought as the day arrived.

While waiting, the 485-seat audience at Yoshimoto Kogyo's Lumine the Yoshimoto theater must have wondered what kind of show it would be. In a typical show, the audience sits facing each other on either side of the runway, watching the models walk by, so even this theater-style seating arrangement is unusual. Even after the curtain opened, there seemed to be a subtle atmosphere of confusion and a lack of excitement, as if the audience was still not fully prepared for the situation.

Then Sutchie came out with a catchy punch! Kanpei Hazama's comedic delivery! You could practically feel the excitement building in the audience as they all leaned forward. Then the Shinkigeki staple debt collector made an appearance, followed by a barrage of jokes like the "nipple drill," and some people even burst out in laughter, clapping their hands! Watching from the wings, the laughter became a mass of incredible energy, with lines, movements, and ad-libs, and I felt something I'd never experienced at a show before.

Fashion heavyweights from Italy had come to the venue with journalists, but they couldn't speak the same language, and even with an interpreter it was hard to convey the "funny" side of things. However, Tamayo tried to make them laugh with all her might! When the heavyweights finally burst out laughing, the audience around them started laughing too, and the exchange unfolded.

Seeing that whole thing unfold gave me goosebumps and made me think, "Comedians are amazing. These people really can do anything. This is what it means to be a top-class professional. I could never do that."

"I can make clothes, but I'll never be able to become a comedian." That was the moment I realized that.

2025 Spring/Summer Collection "Shu・Ha・Ri, Jizai" and Show

The theme of the 2025 Spring/Summer collection is "Shu, Ha, Ri, Jizai."
Building on his past efforts, he dug deep into his own ideas and presented a collection that developed clothing based on the unique perspective that emerged from this. Coincidentally, this show was also unconventional, breaking away from convention and showcasing a free and captivating collection.

I'm proud to say that I've been thinking carefully about various things over the past 10 years and have been doing new and interesting things, but I feel that this time I've finally created something like that.

Unfortunately, it was a one-night show, but I'm sure it will remain deeply etched in the memory of not only me, but everyone who saw it. I will continue to explore new possibilities so that I can create a show that shares the same level of passion next time.