looks we like

JAPANESE DESIGNER TSUMORI CHISATO FOUND INSPIRATION IN AN ANCIENT LAND.

Describe the Tsumori Chisato aesthetic in five words. Fun, happy, colourful, playful, beautiful.

Tell us about your latest collection and how it came to be. I love travelling and discovering new lands, cultures and lifestyles. Egypt is a place I’d always wanted to visit. I had the chance to go there and drew inspiration from all the things I saw – architecture, traditional costumes, landscapes. The Egyptian culture has a mystery around it. There’s an outer space feeling: ancient yet futuristic in some way. And there are some strong mystical elements, too. I tried to build a collection with all that in mind.

Talk us through the different shapes and materials you’ve used.

I was inspired by the shape of Egyptian pyramids for the coats and dresses. Papyrus and hieroglyphs inspired an original logo I made specially for this season. Material-wise, I used nylon, linen, cotton and silk throughout the collection, and worked those with embroideries and transparent pieces.

And what about the colour palette? The key colours of this season are white, salmon pink and a traditional Japanese yellow called soga-iro. I used those colours because I think they enhance the beauty of women. Especially under bright sunlight!

Are there any design features you see as typically Tsumori Chisato? Original colourful prints and jacquard based on illustrations I make myself. The patterns and illustrations were inspired by memories from my trip. I wanted to reinterpret ancient Egyptian culture with a more pop and contemporary feeling. Other Tsumori Chisato signatures are comfortable-yet-feminine silhouettes, and silky and see-through materials.

How do you want people to feel when they wear your clothes? I want people to feel motivated and happy! Life is tough and today’s world is under a lot of stress. By wearing my clothes, I would like people to be able to have fun and forget about the widespread negativity.

Where is your studio based, and what’s the neighbourhood like? My studio is based in Aoyama, Tokyo. The neighbourhood is very urban and can be considered the centre of fashion in Japan. It’s a very inspiring area where we are surrounded by design!

Which part of designing a range do you enjoy most? Drawing the first sketches; thinking and discussing with my team; seeing everything come to life and become a reality when we shoot the lookbook. The whole process is my favourite part, to be honest! From the first idea to the clothes being displayed in the shops.

Where can we see more of your stuff? tsumorichisato.com