After his association with Jean Paul Gaultier, Atsushi Nakashima values classic designs more than his younger self did. By Asmita Sarkar
Like quintessential Japanese design, Atsushi Nakashima’s works reflect minimalism, which is also a part of his personal style. Dressed in a white T-shirt, black pants and black and white-striped sneakers, the artiste is a canvas of his own art. Soft-spoken and detached, the designer, who was once the head of design of the diffusion line at Jean Paul Gaultier, preferred answering through a translator despite being able to speak good English, I was told.
The East and the West meets in a confluence in his designs. He grew up in Japan after the country had already modernised and as a result his work leaned towards the contemporary. But his association with Jean Paul Gaultier taught him to value traditions and his designs now have elements of Japan.
“When I was younger, my sensibility was more modern Japanese, in which you rebuild and reinvent but what changed, especially after my association with Jean Paul Gaultier, was I learnt how to value classic and traditional design. The French believe in preserving their heritage. So old buildings are preserved and taken care of unlike in Tokyo. While Kyoto still has a lot of traditional temples, Tokyo is entirely rebuilt and modernised. What I learnt is that we must value classic traditions and the beauty they bring. After that experience, I find that I appreciate my origins and are rooted to them,” said Nakashima.
He is showcasing the same Fall-Winter 2018 collection that he presented at the Milan Fashion Week last month. His collection celebrates his country, while presenting a global outlook. His collection is replete with circles that represent the sun. Fish motifs, knee-length jackets and dresses dominate the collection apart from oversized pants and layers of jackets.
He was inspired by 1960s’ music like funk, soul and disco to build the collection but using that era’s designs as it is would be placing them out of context. So he has given a modern twist to them along with using Japanese motifs, especially the ones that can be seen in traditional Japanese kimonos. The kimono itself, he said, has a simple structure but layers are added based on the material and motifs. Something that is seen in his collection as well, clean structure with layers. He believes that the world is becoming smaller and global but a “dash of Japan” finds its way into all his work.
The designer doesn’t believe that there is much difference between the East and West since by the time he was in high school American casuals were the “de facto uniform” of the young. But he reiterates that a global outlook with elements of Japan is what defines him.
The 40-year-old knew by the time he was in high school that he wanted be a fashion designer. Even though his parents worked in the corporate sector, he believes that he carries the DNA of his great grandfather who was a painter.
He brings with him a sense of nostalgia like the loose-on jacket, which he has reinvented and replanted. “I use geometric prints that are linear in nature and the clothing is kimono-esque. Part of my Japanese identity is represented by my designs,” he said.
He’s interested in Indian hand-embroidery and is keen to explore how he can interpret traditional embroidery from India into the motifs he has in his mind.