FEATURE｜BEAMS meets Rizzoli. BEAMS' creativity spreads to the world.
BEAMS meets Rizzoli.
BEAMS' creativity spreads to the world.
On February 14 this year, the prestigious New York-based publishing house Rizzoli released "BEAMS beyond TOKYO," a visual book on the BEAMS brand. The book is the first to focus on a Japanese retailer, and it is noteworthy that Rizzoli, which has released visual books by famous fashion brands and artists from around the world, is the first to publish a work that focuses on a Japanese retailer. Begun in 1976, BEAMS has continued to update the standards of Japanese fashion and culture for over 40 years. This book is a visualization of that history, focusing on the many collaborative items that BEAMS has produced over the years. How did the book come to be? We interviewed Ian Luna, the editor in charge of "Rizzoli," Natsuko Yoneyama, who was in charge of art direction for the book, and Takeruhiko Sato, press and PR manager at BEAMS. We hope that these three valuable conversations will give you new insights into the significance of "BEAMS beyond TOKYO".
How was the "BEAMS beyond TOKYO" launch event held at the Rizzoli bookstore in New York?
IanIt was a lot of fun! It was a great event that brought all the BEAMS fans in New York together.
What are some of the major "Rizzoli" works that Ian has done in the past?
IanRizzoli has exhibited in several exhibitions, including "Pharrell: Places & Spaces I've Seen" with Pharrell Williams, "Louis Vuitton: Architecture and Interiors" with Mosen Mustafavi, "Tokyolife: Art and Design" with Toshiko Mori, "A Bathing Ape" with NIGO®, "Shigeru Ban: Paper in Architecture" with Riichi Miyake, and "Louis Vuitton. Tokyolife: Art and Design, A Bathing Ape with NIGO®, Shigeru Ban: Paper in Architecture with Riichi Miyake, Louis Vuitton: Art, Fashion & Architecture Louis Vuitton: Art, Fashion & Architecture" in 2009 and "Louis Vuitton City Bags" in 2013. I was the editor-in-chief of those books and wrote articles for them. I have also edited sacai: A to Z, Undercover, Hiroshi Fujiwara, Yamamoto & Yohji, Rick Owens, and Maison Martin Margiela, among others. In addition, I have been involved in many other books.
What made you decide to publish "BEAMS beyond TOKYO"?
IanYou have long held a deep admiration for "BEAMS" and its president Hiroshi Shitara, I suppose. I have even written articles about BEAMS in the past.
When did you first learn about BEAMS?
IanIn the late 90s, when I was still a teenager, I came to Tokyo and went to a "BEAMS" store. That was the first time.
I understand that the idea to focus the contents of "BEAMS beyond TOKYO" on items that BEAMS has collaborated with was proposed by Ian. Why did you decide to focus on these items?
IanWhen we started working on the book on BEAMS, there were many different ways we could have covered the company and its activities. However, I decided to focus only on the collaboration aspect because I thought that even people who don't know much about BEAMS should at least have heard of the company's collaborations with Levi's® and Converse®.
BEAMS is a company that is bright not only in terms of fashion, but also in terms of culture in general. I think the same can be said for "Rizzoli." Do you have any agreements or rules for publishing your works?
IanAt Rizzoli, the editor in charge has 100 percent freedom to pursue and carry out projects. For example, in the past, Keringnote 1and LVMH*2I have worked on projects for two or three companies at the same time. Anyway, we have no restrictions on exclusives. This is a wonderful thing, and I think it shows that Rizzoli has a high level of trust. Through this book, I felt that "BEAMS" is also respected by various brands.
note 1The world's three largest conglomerates own many fashion brands, including Gucci, Bottega Veneta, and Saint Laurent.
*2The world's largest conglomerate, owning more than 70 luxury brands, including Louis Vuitton, Loewe, Celine, and Christian Dior.
Finally, how do you see the state of Japanese culture?
IanWhen it comes to fashion, unlike those who wax nostalgic about the Uraharajuku movement of the 1990s, I am not pessimistic at all. Rather, I believe that the cultural scene in Japan is as vibrant as ever. I also feel that the effects of the March 11 disaster have been tempered by the newfound (and nurtured) enthusiasm in various fields. I myself have been influenced by Japanese artists, architects, designers, filmmakers, and craftspeople for a long time, but I think this passion may be strongest now. At least, it is a value system that did not exist in the early 2000s, and it is exciting to see.
