YOHEI OHNO JAPAN

Where were you born? And where did you study? Yohei Ohno: “I was born in Nagoya, one of Japan’s biggest cities, but I later moved to Tokyo to study philosophy at Waseda University. After that I enrolled at Bunka Fashion College.”

What is the theme of your SS 2018? “The theme is the joy of creation. To express the ful lment that comes with the process of realising a concept, I drew inspiration from the DIY nature of domestic arts and crafts. Using incongruous colours, including the primary palette of red, yellow and blue, along with the tangible textures of home-craft materials, such as mesh, yarn and enamel, the collection brings to life a visceral nostalgia for the simple pleasure of creating.” Does Japan have any contests, prizes or institutions that support emerging talents? “There is, for example, the Tokyo Fashion Award, which I was selected for in 2017. But there isn’t really enough support, especially for womenswear brands.” What is

the situation of craftsmanship in your country? “There are many artisans but they’re growing old now, and few of them have passed on their skills. This is the most serious problem.” Is there another designer from the new generation with whom you would like to collaborate? “It’d be fun

to work with Hiroki Kataoka.” What is your approach to

sustainability? “I’m interested in Japanese technological fabrics that can replace natural or animal-derived materials.” •