"I HATE MY COLLECTION": Saint Martins unveiled

Naoyuki Yoneto in chat conversation about his final collection

me: Shall we start then, so tell me about your collection

Naoyuki: its all about copying hot couture dresses and some designers work on    cool fashion magazines

me: designers like who ? well at least you are honest

Naoyuki: ok, now i should be more serious

me: its not an interview for Financial Times so relax …

Naoyuki: when i take a reference from other designers, i am aware of the design details..It’s like a canvas for a painter, you need something to work on with it to develop, you know.

me: in which way ?

Naoyuki: There are many design aspects from the past you can refer and would look wow, but i took the siluettes of 20s, because there is something very sexual but not sexy about it. Like, the way fabric drapes and moves on body

me: more erotic you mean

Naoyuki: That’s probably a better word but i meant sexual as a pure expression of femininity.

me: Any particular designer ?

Naoyuki:  I referenced Vionet, early works of Chanel, Paul Poire… I don’t really remember the names, well anything drapey and sexual if you know what I mean.

me: So that’s what you wanted to express in your collection- pure femininity?

Naoyuki: yes thats right, i wanted to be honest to the way i feel beautiful and It seems that every girl dresses in the way other boys and girls expect them to be nowadays. That’s not cool.

me: Do you think you have achieved that ?

Naoyuki: i came to the point where you need to make a decision of your design during a collection making.

me: You didn’t answer my question

Naoyuki : Oh c’mmon, be patient. I have achieved to settle my aesthetic in order to set up a sale point for others as a beginning designer however it is always scary for us to narrow the way you see and feel. you loose the flexibility.

me: So do you feel like you have learned your own style at Saint Martins ? I think I did, I realized what I actually like and why

Naoyuki: no, not really the style, in my case. i have learnt a lot about the attitude towards creation in St. martins

me: and what is it ?

Naoyuki: challenging, expressing and hardworking

me: Was it a difficult a year?

Naoyuki: no, i really enjoyed it, I dont understand why it needs to be a difficult year, its a student collection and you are not responsible for making a profit out of it.

me: stress ?pressure ?self doubts ?tutor’s opinion ?it doesn’t have to be, it just seems that it is for many people

Naoyuki: I thought it would be such luxurious time that i can put all my concentration on whatever i like. Though I have had stressed out when the studio is messy and noisy, so yes it was stressful sometime in that case

me: Do you think it will more comfortable to work when CSM moves to another building

Naoyuki: i haven’t seen the new building yet. but i don’t think so, it’s gonna be another same story, students here are under huge pressure in any ways, which i think is very effective for students to realise it’s hussle to become a designer.

me: How do you feel about the move ?

Naoyuki: I am glad to have been in the old building where all the artists and designers who i regard once stepped into.

me:ok cool I think that will do, what do you think ?

Naoyuki: anymore questions?

me: No one is going to read it if its too long i think people are so lazy these days

Naoyuki: ok

me: I mean if you want to say something more you are very welcome

Naoyuki: let me read it first b4 u publish it

me: well I am not going to change anything really so it will be like this without correction

Naoyuki: i had many spelling mistakes so correct them please, i dont want to sound like a desperate traveler from Japan. I haven’t spoken about my collection, no seriously, you need to ask me more about my inspiration

me: tell me

Naoyuki: ok, i said something about canvas for a painter, right?

me: yes u did

Naoyuki: That’s about references. I thing creativity comes from somewhere different point. I need to go to the toilet, back in 2 secs

me: hahaha dont get too stressed

Naoyuki: Ok. i looked at the photographs taken by Edward Steinchen.

me: what did you like about them ?

Naoyuki: I found them super because of the way objects are cropped to make a perfect composition. Also, the movements and flows got captured in the photos. what attracted me was that high level of professionalism in work but what’more attracted me was that mysterious mood and the ghostly naked women in the photos.

me: well that’s not really the “real” inspiration, can you tell where did you get idea of colours and shapes etc

Naoyuki: oh oleg, that’s a bullshit talk, that’s called referencing which is exactly same as copying, in my view. Anyways, i transformed that thingy into a variation of very very intense drawings of nude figures and I started analyzing the style lines and seam lines for garments, for example, the way fabric are draped on the body here and there.

me: so go on 

Naoyuki: i cant think anymore, my brain usage came to maxim today

During his final year Naoyuki was commisioned to make a pair of gloves for the very first issue of the Vogue Turkey, the whole look was based on his gloves.