Wearing clothes is an intervention in one's body,
The revealing of one's own existence and thoughts.
-How did you feel about wearing the various denim items from Adam et Rope Jeans this time?
Moriyama: The items varied in expression and comfort, but they were all easy to wear, even for someone like me who doesn't usually wear denim. It was like I was trying out something new for my body, so to speak. In terms of white-collar and blue-collar clothes, I wonder if the act of buttoning up the neck of a shirt or fastening a button around the wrist itself has changed the mentality of the wearer, or if it is the opposite and the clothes have come to accompany this mentality.... I guess it is a matter of whether the chicken comes first or the egg comes first, but it is very interesting. Denim is a blue-collar icon, after all.
-Clothing has a basic premise of protecting the body, and from there it has evolved into an item that expresses the sociality and individuality of the person who wears it.
Moriyama: As you mentioned, clothing plays a role in protecting the body, but there is also the idea that clothing, including tattoos and ornaments, play a role in extending the body. In other words, the materials, colors, and designs of the clothes can be seen as how the body is moved by them. When I think about the topicality of fashion, I think about the concept of "Adam et Rope Jeans. It is also meaningful to think about sustainability as a concept of "Adam et Rope Jeans" when considering the topicality of fashion.
What is blue-collar in the present? How can we really think about sustainability and capitalism through denim? I think my body was led not only by physical sensations such as the comfort of the clothes and the material of the textile, but also by the spirituality that is evoked by wearing them. As my body was moved, I felt I was able to capture denim symbolically.
-I was very impressed by your physical expression, which changes depending on the background.
Moriyama: It varies. I think of my body as a material for showing clothes, so I don't think I have a rigid structure in my mind. I simply move when I feel like moving, and sometimes I am reminded of something depending on the setting of the place. I would say that I was moving as if I was listening to the voices coming from my mind and body.
-Watching the shoot, I felt that the lines of the clothes showed beautifully even when dancing quite vigorously, as if they were moving as part of the body. They all looked good on you, but was there one item in particular that you liked?
Moriyama: The items from Adam et Rope Jeans are denim, but they are not too stiff and easy to move in. I liked all of the items, but the slouchy silhouette of the pants was especially comfortable for me.
-One of its characteristics is that it is soft and comfortable against the skin. And "Adam et Rope Jeans" uses pre-consumer materials made from scraps and lint generated in the factory manufacturing process as part of the raw materials. The company also strives to reduce environmental impact by using as little water and electricity as possible in the manufacturing process.
Moriyama: For apparel companies, the current challenge and ideal is to aim for a recycling-oriented and sustainable future. I hear that Okayama denim is attracting a lot of attention from overseas maisons these days.
-I think your processing technology is said to be one of the best in the world. Some denim lovers even grow rigid denim.
Moriyama: It may be due to my profession, but my personality does not allow me to choose my own clothes very often. I often buy clothes brought by stylists as costumes or receive them from them. I try not to express my individuality through my clothes. Well, in other words, I am particular (laughs).
-I'm very interested. Do you feel that you have to wear these clothes when you dance, or that you have to be barefoot?
Moriyama: Basically, I don't have anything like that. Being barefoot is easy for me personally, but it is also important to be able to enjoy what I can do in a given costume or environment in my own way. I guess I feel uncomfortable with the restrictions created by setting a framework.
-It is a very positive way of thinking to be able to express yourself more and more. From your point of view as an expressive person, what do you think is the beauty or elegance of something?
Moriyama: While I think it is certainly important to have a sense of elegance, there is also beauty that can be seen as a totality, as if a person is wearing clothes that look tattered and shabby at first glance, but which ooze the stance and persistence of a person who has reached the end of his or her life. I think it is important that it is not superficially beautiful, but that it reflects the sincerity and strength of one's sense of beauty, and I think that is cool in its own way.
Rather than the meaning of a single item, I think the meaning lies in the reason why a person chose that item. While there are certainly things that are influenced by the times and styles, I think that aesthetics are not so much a part of these trends. By taking a beauty that someone strongly believes in and putting it into a business trend, it will spread throughout the world. What is important is what sensitivity we have to it.
