I'm republishing today an interview with young fashion designer Yuichi Ozaki who recently won the main Fashion Award during Bilbao's "Art & Fashion" event. The interview was originally done for Zoot Magazine.
There were designs inspired by mystic creatures, artworks and art movements, photography, architectural features and films at the recent "Art & Fashion" event that took place in Bilbao.
The competition received over 800 submissions from all over the world, but in the end it was Japanese Yuichi Ozaki who scooped the main award for fashion with a design inspired by illusions, 3D elements and M.C. Escher.
Mainly based on a restricted palette of navy blue, red, orange and white, Yuichi's dresses, jackets and coats are characterised by a series of panels that conceal 3D architectural structures that create an illusion of folding stripes.
His designs unzip to reveal colourful intaglio structures that, being based on principles such as repetition, rotation and reflection, call to mind Escher's intricate and interlocking etchings and engravings.
Born in Tokyo, after winning a competition in his home country, Yuichi moved to the UK to complete a year's scholarship at Nottingham Trent University.
How did you feel about winning this award?
Yuichi Ozaki: Though I did my best, I did not expect to win. The event was very good and I was glad I met a lot of people, from the mayor, to some journalists and fashion designers from the Basque Provinces. Everyone said my design was beautiful and congratulated me.
What's the theme behind the collection?
Yuichi Ozaki: My theme is Illusionism and the coexistence of art with clothing, so fashion and art and questioning the ambiguous borderline between the two. I am a fashion designer, not an artist, but I wanted to express the concept of art as fashion.
There’s a bit of architecture, sculpture and digital fascination in your new designs: what inspires them?
Yuichi Ozaki: As I said, my collection is inspired by Illusionism and especially by M.C.Escher. By using a pop-up technique and horizontal stripes, I made sure the pattern looks different according to the angle you look at it from. There is actually a 3D shape there, but it is sometimes illusorily, seen as 2D through the effect of stripes. At the same time, my creation has a component of sculpture and architecture.
Is there an architect you particularly like or feel inspired by?
Yuichi Ozaki: I am interested in architecture, not just in one architect as I think architecture is an inextricable part of fashion.
What kind of materials did you use to make it?
Yuichi Ozaki: The base fabric is wool and engraved leather for the geometric pattern, printed striped cotton poplin, printed striped velvet, and laser-cut felt for the folded elements.
Some of your designs seem to be based on 3D elaborations, have you ever experimented further with 3D computer programmes or would you like to do so one day?
Yuichi Ozaki: Yes, the designs are based on 3D, but, since I can't use 3D computer programs very well, I had to make a lot of origami paper samples, around 2-300. After that, I thought about the design and made a 3D toile folding the laser-cut fabric by myself.
Would you like to collaborate with an architect/fashion designer one day?
Yuichi Ozaki: Of course, if there is an opportunity in the future. I do not have a specific designer in mind. Because I am interested in everything, I would like to try and do many things in a pro-active manner, even costumes for films, and I would like to talk with a lot of other designers and artists and exchange opinions and ideas.
What are your future plans?
Yuichi Ozaki: It is very difficult to answer: I would like to stay in Europe and get as many experiences as possible, while trying to improve my English. However, it is hard for me as I have a Visa problem and I need a lot of money to remain here. If I do not find a job and a good opportunity, I will have to go back to Japan. In this case, I will start to my own fashion brand. Whatever happens I know I'll be a fashion designer!
Image credits: Picture 1 and 2 in this post courtesy of the "Art & Fashion" organisation; picture 4 by David Baird, picture 3 and 5 by Andy Espin.
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