Shinyakozuka Fall Winter 2022 – 2023 Present Heath Robinson at Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo
ISSUE #1 ‘IF I WERE HEATH ROBINSON
When I buy books, I always take book cover off from before.
Because I really love their simplicity and unity on a bookshelf.
And above all, I love the contrast between a book cover and the cover of the back of the book
The Initial inspiration is ‘HEATH ROBINSON’ who was a cartoonist in the UK.
One of his drawing styles was ironic humor in a hidden place.
His style coincided with my attitude towards fashion, leading to
‘great design and richness existing in a hidden place’
I remember hearing words like ‘WE ARE VISUAL, WE ARE FASHION.’ during my school days.
However, when it comes to my aesthetic, I strongly believe in the blur, abstract, obscure and so on.
This time, we have three words for building the collection, while somehow visualizing an abstract and blank space
1: ‘HIDDEN JOY’
The back of something.
The wrong side of something.
The background out of focus.
Words that are hinting at something
I consider, the act of imagining a place that we cannot see as a very rich deed.
2: ‘FAVORITE ONE WAY’
This might be my selfish theory, if there are two ways to wear clothes,
most prefer to choose one specific way or the other.
They always choose that favorite one way.
Please choose your favorite one way for yourself, like taking a book cover off or not.
I do not want to define the use to its end.
3: ‘WHITE ELEPHANT’
During the research, I found a verse of my favorite poet ‘Noriko Ibaragi’.
In one of her works that titled ‘SHISHU TO SHISHU (anthologies and embroideries)’,
She said, a common point between anthologies and embroideries is useless objects.
When I saw this verse, I felt that HEATH ROBINSON’s irony and style of drawing useless objects connects with
her poems. Therefore, I have decided to put in useless design (WHITE ELEPHANT).
Even though I am into very niche themes, before I knew it, I was requesting lucid things.
I was then reminded that fashion always affirms to my frank thinking and works of obscure and uncertainty
I would like to affirm niche and unclear things strongly while expanding imagination through ‘IF I WERE HEATH ROBINSON’, what kind of design would I give to SHINYAKOZUKA.
About Shinya Kozuka
Shinya Kozuka graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2013. Exploring blurred lines between expression and individuality, collections are purposefully vague and understated. Bordering ‘Fashion is a constant theme; seldom literal with an emphasis on superior quality and functionality. SHINYAKOZUKA is carried by top tier multi brand stores globally and in 2018, the designer was awarded the winner of Tokyo new fashion designer.
Shinyakozuka Fall Winter 2022 – 2023, all images courtesy of Shinyakozuka
PR Agency AYAKO FUKUZAKI / THE WALL
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