Fashion on October 29th at 19:23 in Corona

Fashion shows held all over the world such as Paris and Tokyo this fall.

The impact of the new coronavirus has changed, with many brands presenting their work online instead of the shows on the runways.

How did the Japanese designers who created the work in the unprecedented disaster try and error and what did they challenge?

And what kind of thought did you put in the work?

We interviewed Rei Kawakubo, the designer of the Japanese brand Comme des Garcons, which has been a leader in the world fashion world, and young Japanese designers.

(Reporter, Faculty of Science and Culture, Ryo Tomita / NHK Chief Producer Toru Ogawa)

Fashion show held in Corona

A fashion show held quietly in a corner of a building in Tokyo on October 19th.

Only about 20 invited people can enter the venue to prevent infection with the new coronavirus.

Although the scene was completely different from the traditional fashion show, the venue had an atmosphere of mixed expectations and tension.

The show was hosted by Japan's leading fashion brand Comme des Garcons.

As a leader in the world fashion world, he has released new works at the Paris Collection every year for about 40 years, but he abandoned participation due to the influence of the new coronavirus.

Instead, this show was held in Tokyo.

Under the red illuminated lights, the models appeared on the runway with a noise.

I wore a dress with randomly printed eye motifs and a dress with a unique shape using a transparent material as a base.

The 20 new releases presented at the 15-minute show featured an unbalanced design, combining traditional styles and techniques with characters such as Disney and Bearbrick.

The theme of this work, which was revealed after the show, was "dissonance".

At the end of the show with applause, a woman appeared on the stage sleeves.

This is Rei Kawakubo (78), the designer of the work and the president of Comme des Garcons.

Launched the brand in 1969 and participated in the Paris Collection, the world's most famous fashion festival, for the first time in 1981.

Based on black, which was considered taboo in the fashion world at that time, he surprised the world by announcing clothes that looked shabby with holes, and was called the "impact of black."

Even after that, Mr. Kawakubo's design, which goes beyond the conventional concept of beauty and presents new values, such as dresses with humps on the waist and shoulders, is highly evaluated by the world for its innovation. Has been done.

Reasons for choosing the theme of "dissonance"

What did Mr. Kawakubo, who has always created new things, try to convey through his work now that the corona is bad?

Mr. Kawakubo, who rarely responded to TV media coverage, was able to interview for 10 minutes between shows this time.

Q. Why did you choose "dissonance" as the theme?

Mr. Kawakubo

"It

's a

classic silhouette and design direction. I aimed to create a dissonance by hitting beautiful things such as silk, embroidery, and lace with conflicting materials such as comics and Disney. I usually think negatively when it happens, but this time it's the opposite, and the theme is that power and energy are generated when it hits. "

The power created by the "dissonance" that Mr. Kawakubo talked about.

There was a strong message to the modern society where anxiety and confusion spread due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection.

Mr. Kawakubo

"I would like to raise a problem, or in such a situation, rather than shrinking, doing nothing, or giving up, I would like to make new things at such times, and I would like you to see it. I think it's important. I think it can be an energy to take a step forward and take the situation in a positive direction. It's often called the hungry spirit. I'm in a tough position right now. It's hungry, but I think that overcoming things that you can't do as you want will generate power and power. "

To continue to lead the world

Mr. Kawakubo is focusing not only as a designer but also as the president of a brand with about 1000 employees.

It is said that Mr. Kawakubo's opinions are reflected in the layout of each store and the arrangement of products.

When I talked to the customers who visited the store, they all said that they received various powers from Mr. Kawakubo's work.

Men in their thirties

"I can feel the power of fashion, I really think that Mr. Kawakubo's design is amazing."

Women in their fifties

"It

's

not good for me, but getting dressed makes me stronger. At work. There were times when it was like a combat uniform. "

Editor-in-chief of fashion magazine

"By wearing this creation, you become a new self, it's like the source of all creations."

Rei Kawakubo The driving force for work is

Mr. Kawakubo who turned 78 years old.

Even though I was told to refrain from going out due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection, I have been working on my creations every day from early morning to night without resting my hands for a day.

Mr. Kawakubo

"I can't do anything by searching for new things in my daily life. However, I hope that searching for new things in my daily life will lead to results. Satisfaction I have nothing to do, so I think I will go forward. "

Many people are in a difficult situation due to the influence of the new coronavirus, so when asked what they should do to live positively.

Mr. Kawakubo

"

Looking forward on

your own. I think that will result in a better one. Each person can feel that way. If everyone has their own hope, that will be a big hope. Isn't it? "

Never stop under any circumstances, don't give up.

This is the message of Mr. Kawakubo, who has always been moving forward without compromising.

Younger generation designers Trial and error and challenges

This time, top Japanese designers such as Kansai Yamamoto and Kenzo Takada, who have been active in the world for many years with Mr. Kawakubo, have died one after another.

In mid-October, when Kawakubo's show was held, a young Japanese designer who will lead the next generation was presenting his work at "Fashion Week Tokyo".

The production period for many works is just under the state of emergency in April and May.

Young designers continued to take on challenges while re-examining the meaning of their work of fashion.

Fusion of digital and real

What stood out was that it took advantage of the characteristics of online work presentations.

"Doublet" will deliver a short video of zombies shot in advance from the show venue that invited a very small number of spectators, and after the video ends, a model wearing zombies with special make-up will appear at the venue and show off new clothes. did.

It is a concept that fuses "digital" and "real".

A new sense of season

Takaaki Shimase (35), the designer of "Takutaku", proposed a new way of thinking for the season.

Until now, the show has been based on the assumption that the next year's spring / summer clothes will be announced in the fall, but this time the theme is both winter and summer.

Even though it is spring / summer clothes, items that are often seen in autumn / winter such as coats and mufflers were announced, and we proposed to match them with shorts and tank tops.

In January, when spring and summer clothes were lined up in stores, Mr. Shimase felt uncomfortable with the fact that he couldn't wear those clothes yet.

"The feeling of not being able to wear clothes even if I want to wear it overlaps with the feeling of not being able to meet people even if I want to go out. It led to this idea." I'm talking to you.

Sustainable fashion

There were also many designers who used the word "sustainable" to describe it.

In an attempt to change the current wisdom of making clothes by mass-producing, mass-selling, and mass-disposal clothes, the industry practice that has been taken for granted in the face of a large amount of unsold clothes due to the corona wreck The movement to re-question is accelerating.

"Rito" has announced a series of clothes that can be worn by connecting items from the previous season or the next season, rather than finishing the clothes in one season.

Using buttons and strings, you can layer a camisole on your shirt or add pockets freely, so that you can wear it for a long time without fading even if you wear past clothes, instead of adjusting to the fashion and season. Worked on the design and material development of.

In the background was the thoughts of designer Miyako Shimakawa under the state of emergency.

"Is it necessary for clothes to constantly create new designs and ride the wave of fashion? In the first place, if Corona continues for a long time, the definition of fashion will disappear ..."

Mr. Shimakawa further promotes these efforts. In the future, I would like to aim for recycling-oriented manufacturing, such as reusing the fibers used for clothing as soil.

Review human manual work

Takeshi Kitazawa, a 38-year-old designer of "Dress and Dressed," said, "What we can do now," while being anxious about "Is our work unnecessary and urgent?" It is said that he desperately thought about "something".

What he started with the staff was to move his hands and decorate the clothes he announced last season with threads and buttons.

240 hours to finish one jacket.

I decorated each one as if I was possessed.

The finished clothes were announced online and were well received.

Mr. Kitazawa has been announcing mainly simple clothes for 11 years since the brand was established, but he says that by adding detailed handicrafts to that, he found a new appeal for the clothes he creates.

Through interviews

The world of fashion that has moved at a tremendous speed, creating a large collection every six months.

In recent years, more brands have announced pre-collections before each season, and the speed has accelerated.

It was the new Corona that was bathed in cold water.

In the 1980s, when society was about to undergo a major transformation into a consumer society, Mr. Kawakubo, who brought about a fashion revolution from Japan and has continued to run at the forefront of the world since then, gave out the "power of manufacturing" in the corona. The word.

And the words of young designers who continue to explore various things toward the big turning point after Corona.

I felt that there were clues to the future of Japanese fashion.

Ryo Tomita,

Reporter, Faculty of Science and Culture

NHK Chief Producer

Toru Ogawa

Launched a fashion program in 2007, and has continued to cover fashion since then.