In 2013, you photographed Comme des Garçons runway show, how did you feel about the
creative realm of fashion?
Though
I had been living in Paris, that was the first time I saw a runway show in
person. Rather than it being fashion photography, I was only capturing a single
day of the collection, and in my humble opinion, and fashion shows are very
labor intensive and difficult. Even though people prepare over the days and months
leading up to the show, the show itself lasted only for around ten minutes. So
it’s very quick. But that is why all this condensed energy explodes in this
short time and leave strong impressions to people. I guess there are shows that are successful and those that are not, but CDG’s show was captivating. The
theme of the season was “monsters”, and the atmosphere surrounding the models
and the location itself had this unusual quality, and I felt an unique and tremendous
power from it.
How did you approach shooting the project?
The
day before the photoshoot, I was told by Rei Kawakubo when I met her that she
wanted me to express intensity, but everything else would be left up to me. I
tried my best to express this image of “intensity” and the
“existence” that I always think about in my photographs. It is one of
not many opportunities for my commissioned work to be undertaken as if it were
my own project. It was only single day of photo shoot but I spent ten days to
make prints in the darkroom. It was like an experience that enriched my own
flesh and blood.
You also selected the photos?
That’s
right. At first, I delivered the contact prints as Ms. Kawakubo requested, but she
ended up returning them to me, saying making the selection is also a part of
creation. Projects like this that gives me a big picture allows me to focus
more on the shooting, and it is certainly rewarding. Otherwise it is difficult
to express own worldview as an author. In that sense, I really appreciate that
they gave me this assignment.