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Yohji YamamotoFashion designer
Country:
 Japan |
Content:
Yohji Yamamoto: A Unique Fashion Revolution
About 20 years ago, a peculiar revolution took place in the world of fashion. It was during this time that a relatively unknown designer proclaimed a slogan that would later become iconic: "Stop confusing beauty with prettiness." And from that moment on, a new star named Yohji Yamamoto ignited the fashion sky. He was different, special, otherworldly, and so were his models. The Japanese designer began by refusing to associate women with expensive dolls. He eliminated all things straight and symmetrical from women's fashion. According to Yamamoto, if a garment is flawless, it is not created for a living person, but for a mannequin. And therefore, this model can be considered "dead." Isn't it eerie? But that's how mysterious Yohji Yamamoto is. His models have almost no temporal limits. They all look like items from a thrift store. Just imagine, a guy walks by in a fashionable jacket from Yamamoto's couture, even from the latest collection, and you look at him and think, "Did he take this piece from his great-grandfather?" "My models are eternal," explains the couturier. Well, one can only agree. If your mother is constantly annoyed by frayed trouser hems or overly worn-out jeans, then you can confidently tell her that you have the "Yamamoto" style. And that would be the absolute truth. Sometimes, when you look at the unhemmed, torn edges of Yamamoto's clothing, it feels like a work done by a girl attending her first sewing lesson. The great Yohji not only vehemently denied the sweetness and correctness of fashion maestros but also allowed himself to mock them on occasion. How about this, for example? Once, Yamamoto released a collection of sportswear that was nothing more than a pitiful parody of the cult brand "Adidas." Another distinctive Yohji Yamamoto trademark is his love for the color black. Approximately 90% of all his designs are black. By the way, when the designer first launched his collection, its admirers were called the "crow flock."
A Samurai of Fashion
Primarily, Yohji creates for the fairer sex, but he also has something for men. "Clothing should cover, not adorn a man," says Yamamoto about fashion for the stronger half of humanity. But he is slightly deceiving. For instance, in one of his collections, Yamamoto adorned a black, clumsy bomber jacket with pink angel wings. What do you think about that? So, one beautiful day, a star from Japan emerged in the sky of typical "Euro-American" fashion. They were Rei Kawakubo, Issey Miyake, and, of course, Yohji Yamamoto himself. These individuals "transformed" fashion to suit their own styles. Later, critics and ordinary people would call their creations the "Hiroshima Chic."
Interestingly, each of them had their own "muse," something that made their style unique and inimitable. For Yamamoto, it was... war. Surprised? It's just that Yohji's father died during World War II, and since then, war has permanently settled in his heart, which naturally influenced his creativity. As Yohji himself says, he is a "unique samurai." He is a creator and believes that it is his sole purpose in life. He does not like journalists, carefully guarding all aspects of his life from them. The "sharks of the pen" struggled to find out that the genius actually had a wife at one point (they are divorced) and three children who followed in their famous father's footsteps.
A Man of Contradictions
Although Yamamoto constantly emphasizes that he is a typical Japanese in fashion, his preferences and inclinations lean more towards being European. He adores fast driving and quiet evenings at home with his four-legged friends; playing billiards and practicing karate (he holds a black belt); enjoying good wine and listening to Bob Dylan's music. He has many flaws, with laziness being the main one. He also admitted that if he ever gets tired of the fashion business, he would become either a gangster or an actor, with supporting roles being sufficient for him. By the way, Yohji's name has already appeared in one film. Not just any film, but in the cult movie "Dolls" directed by Takeshi Kitano. The costumes of the characters in the film were handmade by Yamamoto. Many critics believe that the outfits contributed significantly to the success of the movie.
Among the fans of Yohji's work are such renowned personalities as Jack Nicholson, Juliette Binoche, Catherine Deneuve, Boris Grebenshchikov, and many others.
This is Yohji Yamamoto - a man of contradictions and unspoken words. This is his life and therefore his creativity. "I don't like fashion, but I understand that it is necessary, like air, and that inspires me." What more is there to say? He has said it all through his models under the "timeless" label of Yohji Yamamoto.
