long vowel mark (usually only used in katakana)Congratulations on the publication of your book. The book was art and literature. It is truly a book filled with the past of agnes b.

AgnesI'm glad to hear you say that.

I heard that you were involved in the project as an art director.

AgnesThe manuscript was written by journalist Florence Ben-Sadoun, but I sat down with her and talked to her about her life story. I selected the photos from scratch, of course. We worked night and day for more than six months. After all, I was involved in the whole process of making the book (laughs).

There are also plenty of private photos.

AgnesI have taken many photos of the Moroccan desert on a camel, street art, and the sky through a grid filter on a cab window.... I also took a number of Tokyo landscapes. I have selected what I found beautiful. I wanted to encourage young designers and artists to express themselves more freely.

long vowel mark (usually only used in katakana)When completed as a book, it succeeded in adding a great deal of depth. What was even more impressive was the abundance of past works. I was again impressed by the fact that none of the clothes had become old.

AgnesThank you very much. What I wanted to convey most in this book was that the clothes of agnis b. are timeless. If I had to make a reflection, I would say that the year of publication (of the archives) should have been included more prominently. That way, the timelessness of the collection could be conveyed at a glance.

As you say, "agnis b." is almost synonymous with "timeless. My family loves it.Actor Yagira (Yuya)He also said that clothes from many years ago are still in use. It is now a common concept, but why were you able to see the value in the concept of timelessness before anyone else, even though it was supposed to contradict fashion?

AgnesBeing the second of four children, my wardrobe may not have seemed so well endowed from the outside, but it is because it is in my nature. In terms of numbers, yes. But I was never bored because each piece was of high quality and basic.

Universal clothes can give a completely different impression depending on how they are worn. In other words, they bring out the individuality of the wearer. This is not the case with clothes that make too much of a statement.

I think we also wanted to create a stir in the fashion business, which is driven by trends. I believe that the 40-year history of our rise to a global brand was a grand experiment to prove that there is another approach.

AgnesI also wanted to preserve French craftsmanship. That would require a certain scale. As much as possible, we have French craftsmen make our collections, and our encounter with Japan was significant in this respect (agnis b. has over 140 stores in Japan, and in 2015 opened a flagship store in Ginza). But even now, I am happy enough to have the Les Halles store in Paris, which I opened in a renovated butcher shop.

Agnes was timeless.

One of the keywords to embody timeless clothing is practicality.

AgnesI'm wearing a tuna today, but I've done all kinds of workwear themes: painters' salopettes, apron dresses, garçon uniforms... I've done all kinds of workwear themes. You can read about why in my book. Here it is. Agnès b. started from the most important and indispensable function of clothing and tried to create a new way of wearing it.

Genderlessness is another important keyword. We have had women wear men's hats, men wear mittens in classical style, and so on. We have done a lot of attempts like that. Why? Simple. Because it's beautiful.

Edvige Bellemore (a legendary lesbian icon in New York) appeared in your show and made a splash, but I also feel that Agnès b. is willing to design for the world.

Agnes: Clothing that blurs the boundaries between men and women teaches us that each of us is equal. Oh yes, I had Edvige wear a black mini dress as the bride. It's my favorite too.

Whatever form it takes, it is important to speak to them.

France is going through a difficult time right now (in November 2015, the Paris terrorist attacks occurred and the government declared a state of emergency). Yes, tourism is down. As criticism of President Hollande increased, Catherine Deneuve stood firm in her opposition. I also spoke out. Thanks to him, we are getting back to normalcy.

long vowel mark (usually only used in katakana)By the way, you are very energetic. I heard that you danced at a club until midnight on the day you arrived in Japan.

AgnesYes, that's right. Every day is so much fun that I don't have time to get tired. You can ask Ghislaine if you like. She has been working with me for a quarter of a century.

Ghislaine.Once upon a time, I had said to Agnes's proposal, "I'm too old...." and she had not said a word. I was too old.... Agnes immediately said, "That's no reason. Agnes immediately said, "That's not a good reason. Agnes is the reason the Maison stays young. The secret of her youthfulness is her curiosity, her openness, and her love of people. That and the foot massage device under her desk (laughs).

long vowel mark (usually only used in katakana)

AgnesI told him to come to Paris, and he just rolled his eyes.