FEATURE | Mina Wakatsuki and Eiichi Izumi talk about London and the world of fashion.
Mina Wakatski & Eiichi Izumi talks fashion, catwalks and their love for London
Mina Wakatsuki and Eiichi Izumi talk about London and the world of fashion.
Mina Wakatsuki, a London-based fashion journalist who has been covering collections for nearly 30 years, released her book "London Collection 1984-2017: The Starting Point of 83 Talented Designers" from Senken Shinbunsha in late October. To commemorate the book's release, we sat down with Eiichi Izumi, a creative director and buyer for the boutique Desperado, who is also an expert on young designers in London and has been a pioneer in promoting the appeal of young London designers in Japan since the late 1980s. What is the past, present, and future of the London Collections in the eyes of these two men who have been at the forefront of promoting the appeal of young London designers from the late 1980s to the present? We asked them about their thoughts.
Mina Wakatsuki Fashion journalist, moved to the U.K. in 1988 and started writing for Japanese newspapers and magazines. 1990- he became a commissioned reporter for Senken Shimbun, covering collections around the world. 2001- he became a London correspondent, covering various events in the U.K. In October 2017, "The London Collections 1984-2017. Collection 1984-2017: The Starting Point of 83 Brilliant People" was published by Senken Shinbun in October 2017.
Eiichi Izumi Creative director and buyer for Desperado, he joined Renown Look in 1981 and was one of the first to discover and introduce designers such as Dries Van Noten, Christophe Lemaire, and Marc Jacobs to Japan. In 2013, he became independent and established his own company, Panorama. In the same year, he opened the select store "Desperado" in Shibuya, Tokyo, and in September 2005, his second store "Desperado Mas" opened in Takasaki, Gunma.www.desperadoweb.net
I want to be the first buyer.
How did you two meet?
Eiichi Izumi ("Izumi")It was really old, maybe 25 years ago. At that time, I had established the boutique division at Renown Look (now Look) and started stocking Dries Van Noten, and then Joe Casely Hayford in 1996, and I think it was Mr. Wakatsuki who came to interview me for the Senken Shimbun.
What is your impression of Ms. Wakatsuki?
fountainMr. Wakatsuki is, after all, the leading authority on the London Collections, or rather, the most knowledgeable person in the field. In my case, I prefer to trust people who have actually seen the shows. I think that the person who is always on the spot is more realistic. I always read Mr. Wakatsuki's articles because I trust him.
Mina Wakatsuki (hereinafter referred to as "Wakatsuki")When we first met, I really remember you saying, "When I go overseas, there are stores that mix various brands, but there are none in Japan. I wondered why, and found out that even if buyers wanted to buy, they couldn't, so they couldn't go overseas to buy. So he thought, "Why don't we create a system that allows people to buy?" He launched the boutique division and started by wholesaling to boutiques. Then the name "select store" was born, and the trend of "buying young designers' clothes at select stores" was born. In other words, I imagine that it was Mr. Izumi who created the foundation of select stores in Japan.
Mr. Izumi personally handles buying for "Desperado". He continues to offer timeless clothes for the next generation. Among the up-and-coming brands from around the world, "Marques Almeida," "Chalayan," "Kathleen Hayford," and others are selected from the United Kingdom.
fountainI don't know if I can say that much (laughs). I do love clothes, and at the time, I thought that we would not be able to develop in the future unless we became more global. Twenty to thirty years have passed since then, but we continue to try to do things in the traditional way, which is not to make original products, but to have 100% designer-made products.
second month of the lunar calendarAlso, when I read Izumi's interview in which she said that she wanted to be the first buyer, I really felt something like a peer. I would also like to be the first to interview young designers who caught my attention, and I would like to be the first journalist to interview them.
fountainSomewhere within me, I may think that such a sense of speed is also important in fashion. It is better to be as quick as possible in deciding when to do something and when to develop it, and I think it is very important to do it quickly. I think the real appeal of fashion lies in the hatching of the egg before it is finished.
London in the 90s was a time when up-and-coming designers such as Alexander McQueen and Hussein Chalayan suddenly appeared. What was the atmosphere like in London during that era?
second month of the lunar calendarIt was interesting. Not only fashion, but Damien Hirst in art, Oasis and Blur in music, and I was sure that this was an era that would go down in history. It was a very valuable experience for me to be able to work in the midst of such a movement. Japanese magazines were also paying attention to London during that period, so I received many job offers and had the opportunity to talk to many people. In fact, Japan at that time was buying clothes from London designers.
fountainThat's right. For buyers, buying, or rather, discovering things, is like encountering the unknown, and it is a lot of fun. How to find things in the world that you don't know. It is a lot of fun to have such encounters, and it is a great pleasure for buyers.
Mr. Wakatsuki has published a book entitled "London Collection 1984-2017: The Starting Point of 83 Talented Designers" which compiles articles on designers in London that he has covered himself. What do you think is the attraction of the London Collections?
second month of the lunar calendarIn the book, Alexander McQueen says, "I was lucky to debut at the lowest point in my career," but it is when you hit rock bottom that something new is born. In that sense, I have great expectations for the London Collection. Anarchy and interesting things cannot be born in an overprotective environment, after all.
The book divides the history of the London Collection into four major periods. Starting from 1984, when the London Collections were launched; the 1990s, when Alexander McQueen and Hussein Chalayan made their debuts; the early 2000s, when young designers such as Christopher Kane and Gareth Pugh were active; and the present, when the handmade digital generation such as Simone Rocha and Astrid Andersen and others, and today's digital generation that makes full use of manual labor. This section presents four waves that have emerged from the bottom of the barrel. In that vein, 2017 is also rock bottom, but I have a feeling that the next wave is definitely on the way. It is at rock bottom that things get interesting, so I hope you will pay attention to that as well.
The photo spread shows John Galliano's debut collection for the 1985-86 fall/winter season.
THE BIRDS changed my life as a journalist.
What does London fashion mean to you two?
fountainCreation. Unfortunately, looking back over the past 10 years, Japan has a strong sense of its own values, such as conservative, standard, and simple is best. So-called casual outfits, clothes that can be worn for a week and can be worn by anyone, anywhere. I don't really like that kind of thing. Or rather, it makes me wonder what the existence of fashion is all about.
second month of the lunar calendarI also have clothes from the debut of Nicholas Knightley and Alexander McQueen, but this period in particular was quite demanding in terms of physical comfort. They were difficult to walk in and clung to me. However, it is not true that clothes that are comfortable physically are also comfortable mentally. When I wear clothes that I feel good in, I feel better mentally.
fountainFashion is about how clothes affect people, and I think it is very important that people feel uplifted or have some kind of fun when wearing clothes. My theory is that fashion, music, art, and sports are "necessities of life. They are not necessities, but things that enrich our lives. If people don't have something to enrich their lives, I don't think they will be able to enjoy their lives.
What was your most memorable show at the London Collections?
second month of the lunar calendarI only watch the London Collection now, but there was a time when I used to watch nearly 200 shows a season, including Paris and Milan, so some shows I forget. But the shows that I think, "No show can top this one!" I think is "THE BIRDS," the third season after Alexander McQueen's debut. After that, this brand was sponsored by "American Express" and the show became dramatic, but "THE BIRDS" was still a time when there was no money at all. But THE BIRDS was still a time when there was no money at all, and I wondered what this excitement was about. I even wrote an obituary titled "THE BIRDS changed my life as a journalist. So it was McQueen then, not McQueen now.
fountainBecause of the lack of money, it is difficult to procure fabrics, and factories are not cooperating with us. But I think it is creative to think about what to make under such circumstances. I wonder if this is connected to the idea of Hussein Chalayan burying silk dresses in the ground for a long time to let them corrode.
second month of the lunar calendarNot so long ago, I really felt sorry for new designers in London, because they used only the same prints in their shows, which showed that they had no money. Nowadays, thanks to digital technology, it is possible to make 60 different prints for 60 different models. But on the other hand, I think we are seeing a return to handmade items, like Seidy Williams' prints on a full sequin background, or heat-transfer prints over silkscreen prints.
fountainAlso, Martin Rose, for example. I think they will be strong. From now on.
second month of the lunar calendarPhotographer Chris Moore, who has been photographing collections for about 60 years and "has been shooting fashion shows since they started," also mentioned Martin Rose as one of his favorite shows. Lately, I've been enjoying shooting smaller, intimate shows more than the big fashion shows, because I feel the power of the smaller shows.
Finally, who would you like to read "The London Collection 1984-2017: The Starting Point of 83 Brilliant People"?
second month of the lunar calendarFirst of all, definitely for aspiring designers. So I really hope that students who are interested in fashion will read it as well. Various designers talk about their "starting points," and I think you can get some hints from them. I would be happy if they think that being a fashion designer might be an interesting job. Also, the good points of the past are often forgotten, so I would be happy if people in their 30s and 40s could be reminded that there were such designers in the past.
But London is a really interesting place, where new things are born, so I hope that people who are not interested in fashion will find something that catches their attention and interest.
fountainYou didn't dare to include the big names in your collection. I don't dare to include the big names, like Paul Smith or Margaret Howell.
second month of the lunar calendarThe completed ones, you know. All of them only pick up where they first hatch and go.
The London Collection 1984-2017: 83 Starting Points for the Brilliant." This book traces the footsteps of the London Collections, which began in 1984, through interviews with 83 designers from 72 brands and runway photographs. It includes interviews with Alexander McQueen and Christopher Kane at the time of their debuts, as well as the debut collection of John Galliano and dramatic runway photos of Hussein Chalayan, which cannot be seen anywhere else. This is a valuable book for learning about the London collections of today and exploring their future. B5 size, 246 pages, designed by Natsuko Yoneyama, published by Senken Shinbunsha. Published by Senken Shinbun, ¥3,400+tax, available at major bookstores and "Desperado" in Shibuya, Tokyo.www.amazon.co.jp
