Of course, the master himself couldn’t help but be a part of it. Thanks to the extensive material available on YouTube, we have found a long interview conducted during the exhibition. As with his clothing, the philosophy and professional history of the illustrious Japanese designer transcend the inexorable passage of time, providing, even after a year, useful insights to help understand his work and artistic personality.

Yet another opportunity to discover Yamamoto’s work is that of watching the documentary This is my Dream, screened at the Design Film Festival in Singapore last November, as part of the touring film festival (the festival  then went on to Berlin, Taipei, Bangkok, etc.) dedicated exclusively to architecture, fashion, photography, street art  motion graphics, technology and design subcultures.

Here is a short trailer of the movie

…waiting for spring-summer collection, why don’t we find out the different lines by Yohji Yamamoto?

Yohji Yamamoto

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The soundtrack of Yohji’s fashion show is a clear evidence of the inspiration for the current season. Jimi Hendrix’s rock, 40 years after his premature death, sets up the rhythm of the show, synchronizing the beats of the sound with the colours and lines on the catwalk.

The rocker woman created by Yamamoto, however, hasn’t got anything to do with the shabby look that was typical of young sub-cultures of the seventies. Far from any predictable stereotypes and banal suggestions, the collection proposes items that conform to the very high creative standards of the Japanese designer: excellent tailoring, asymmetrical cuts, refined and complex fabrics.

Such an artistic verve can even propose an inflatable skirt made of transparent vinyl, with buttons and pleats that create a plisse effect. Even if every item of clothing is presented with heavy boots or light sandals, it is without the intention to underline urban environments and moods, but instead to set clothes in everyday life that would otherwise belong to the exclusive world of haute couture.

Always unpredictable, Yamamoto is one of the most significant forerunners of the so called Japanese school, and is currently being displayed at the prestigious Victoria & Albert Museum, in London. An occasion to understand and follow the development and main topics of the aesthetic vision of a revolutionary fashion genius, whose creations are considered to be real works of art that must be displayed and made public, at least for as long as an exhibition lasts.

The exhibition will be designed by Yamamoto’s long-time collaborator, scenographer and lighting designer Masao Nihei. The main exhibition space will see over 60 garments from Yamamoto’s womenswear and menswear collections accompanied by a mixed-media timeline showing excerpts from his fashion shows, films and performances, graphic material and select photographs which will contextualise his career. Following Yamamoto’s previous solo exhibitions in Florence Correspondences (2005), Paris Juste des Vêtements (2005) and Antwerp Dream Shop (2006), this UK retrospective will exhibit items from his menswear collections for the first time.

Yamamoto’s fabrics are central to his design practise and are a trademark of his work. Supporting craftspeople in and around Kyoto, his textiles are created to specification often employing traditional Japanese dyeing and embroidery techniques such as Shibori and Yu-zen. The selection of works on show will give visitors the opportunity to study examples of Yamamoto’s application of traditional Japanese techniques.

The exhibition will also record the breadth of some of Yamamoto’s key collaborations achieved through his career. Partnerships with fashion photographer Nick Knight, graphic designer Peter Saville, art director Marc Ascoli and M/M (Paris), choreographer Pina Bausch and filmmakers Takeshi Kitano and Win Wenders amongst many others, will be represented by a mixed-media timeline in the main exhibition space, and will demonstrate an important, creative dialogue which flows through his work. As homage to the catalogues and iconic images they produced for Yohji Yamamoto in the late 1980s, Peter Saville will be Graphic Art Director for the book and exhibition, and Nick Knight will produce the V&A poster image.
As part of the retrospective, Yamamoto’s work stretches further across London with exhibitions at the Wapping Project sites, at both Bankside (11 March to 14 May 2011) and Wapping (11 March to 10 July 2011).

Yohji Yamamoto, Victoria and Albert Museum, 12 March – 10 July 2011

Yohji Making Waves, The Wapping Project,
12 March – 14 July 2011
Wapping Hydraulic Power Station, Wapping Wall, E1W 3SG
Open Monday – Friday noon to midnight; Saturday and Sunday from 10.00am.
Closed on Sunday night.