Yohji Yamamoto (1943-Present)
Introduction/ Biography
Women Wears Daily
Yohji Yamamoto was born on October 3, 1943. Yamamoto grew up living with his widowed mother Yumi in Tokyo who work as a seamstress; unfortunately, Yamamoto never got to see his father who died in WWII. When Yamamoto was young, Yumi encourages him into being an attorney. Following his mother’s wish, Yamamoto attended Keio University and gained his law degree after he had graduated. Yamamoto has never put his law degree into practice. Instead, he was more interested of becoming a fashion designer. Putting behind that path that his mother wishes him to take, Yamamoto began his own dream. He entered a famous fashion institute in Tokyo called Bunkafukuso Gakuin to study fashion design. In 1970, Yamamoto began his career as an anonymous creator with skilled craftsman. Successfully, two years later Yamamoto introduced his own label Y’s (Mears).
In his early year, Yamamoto was influenced by the Japanese culture. Many of his clothing also consist of western and eastern aesthetic, deconstructed styles, gender ambiguity, and basic black. “Along with his fellow Japanese designers, Yohji Yamamoto has helped to redefine clothing, and the use of color, shape, and form in relation to the figure. He has also helped to redirect and question the Western ideals of beauty and what it means to be a woman in today’s society” (Palomo-Lovinski 106).
In his early year, Yamamoto was influenced by the Japanese culture. Many of his clothing also consist of western and eastern aesthetic, deconstructed styles, gender ambiguity, and basic black. “Along with his fellow Japanese designers, Yohji Yamamoto has helped to redefine clothing, and the use of color, shape, and form in relation to the figure. He has also helped to redirect and question the Western ideals of beauty and what it means to be a woman in today’s society” (Palomo-Lovinski 106).
Designs
Critical Analysis
Yohji Yamamoto work’s reflects the zeitgeist or the period of the time because he was inspired by the Japanese culture. He was able to base the style of his clothing on traditional Japanese dress of the 18th century and he was also influenced by Japanese culture of his childhood. Also, because of his Japanese culture influence Yamamoto’s garment are oversized and they are never really fitted. Yohji Yamamoto was influenced by great designers like Christian Dior for an example. In Christian Dior’s work, he presents strength and aloofness in feminine beauty in his garment. With the similar idea, Yamamoto also allows those ideas and concept in his work. Coco Chanel had also influenced Yamamoto in a great way. “Yamamoto has done several homage collections to the iconic French couturier; such as spring 1998. He undoubtedly admires the strong, independent nature of Chanel, and appreciates her sensible approach to fashion” (Palomo-Lovinski 106).
In the fashion industry, Yohji Yamamoto is an icon because he was known for his “free from constraints” design. Many of his design are for strong women who are independent and love moving at their own pace. Rather than making women look sexy and attractive like many other designers, Yamamoto has a different view. In his designs, Yamamoto hopes to establish the feeling of nobility and intelligence instead of sexuality. He designs clothes that women can feel comfortable in and free them “from constraints of feeling like they are being judged based on their physical attributes” (Palomo-Lovinski 108). Not only that, Yamamoto also corporate his men’s design and adapt them for women. He wanted women to dress the way they want rather than having the society decide what they can or cannot wear.
In the fashion industry, Yohji Yamamoto is an icon because he was known for his “free from constraints” design. Many of his design are for strong women who are independent and love moving at their own pace. Rather than making women look sexy and attractive like many other designers, Yamamoto has a different view. In his designs, Yamamoto hopes to establish the feeling of nobility and intelligence instead of sexuality. He designs clothes that women can feel comfortable in and free them “from constraints of feeling like they are being judged based on their physical attributes” (Palomo-Lovinski 108). Not only that, Yamamoto also corporate his men’s design and adapt them for women. He wanted women to dress the way they want rather than having the society decide what they can or cannot wear.
Analysis of Future Trends
(Stylesight)
Yohji Yamamoto is one of the most influential designers of the modern era because he has redefine clothing to the different use of color, shape, and form in the relation to the figure in many of his collection and signature designs. The use of color black appeared in most of Yamamoto’s design. Yamamoto has describes the use of color black as an “embracing black” that can absorbs all other colors and the color black has the depth of shadow (Palomo-Lovinski 106). His work has influenced significant trends that will continue into the future. For example, Yamamoto emphasizes the use of the color black and different shape and form on the women’s body.
Not only did Yamamoto influence a significant trend that will continue into the future, but he has also inspired many young designers of the modern time. Yamamoto’s daughter, Limi Feu was inspired by her father’s tradition of creating clothing that is not fitted to the body that define confident sexiness. Limi Feu “uses fabric as shapes on the body, creating space and depth around the figure” (Palomo-Lovinski 106) in her Spring 2010 collection. Designers like Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney, and Hussein Chalayan has followed Yohji Yamamoto’s footstep into designing functional products for many active wear companies.
Becoming one of the greatest fashion designers, Yohji Yamamoto did eventually created a lasting signature silhouette in fashion history. He has borrowed something from both the Eastern and Western culture into his concept of design. From the Eastern “Yamamoto borrows the basic principle of unisex kimono and the traditions of wrapping the figure to eradicate differences in gender” (Palomo-Lovinski 106). As for the Western, Yamamoto borrows the idea of experimental. These two concepts have appeared in all of Yamamoto’s design and have created a lasting signature silhouette in the fashion history.
I do own many garments that were inspired by Yohji Yamamoto’s ideas and concept. Many of my shirts are not truly fitted, they were simply oversized that are very comfortable on a long day of school. I believed that many of my clothing were inspired by Yohji Yamamoto because I feel more comfortable in them rather than tight clothing and being attractive.
Not only did Yamamoto influence a significant trend that will continue into the future, but he has also inspired many young designers of the modern time. Yamamoto’s daughter, Limi Feu was inspired by her father’s tradition of creating clothing that is not fitted to the body that define confident sexiness. Limi Feu “uses fabric as shapes on the body, creating space and depth around the figure” (Palomo-Lovinski 106) in her Spring 2010 collection. Designers like Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney, and Hussein Chalayan has followed Yohji Yamamoto’s footstep into designing functional products for many active wear companies.
Becoming one of the greatest fashion designers, Yohji Yamamoto did eventually created a lasting signature silhouette in fashion history. He has borrowed something from both the Eastern and Western culture into his concept of design. From the Eastern “Yamamoto borrows the basic principle of unisex kimono and the traditions of wrapping the figure to eradicate differences in gender” (Palomo-Lovinski 106). As for the Western, Yamamoto borrows the idea of experimental. These two concepts have appeared in all of Yamamoto’s design and have created a lasting signature silhouette in the fashion history.
I do own many garments that were inspired by Yohji Yamamoto’s ideas and concept. Many of my shirts are not truly fitted, they were simply oversized that are very comfortable on a long day of school. I believed that many of my clothing were inspired by Yohji Yamamoto because I feel more comfortable in them rather than tight clothing and being attractive.
Work Cited
Mears, Patricia. "Yohji Yamamoto." Home : Berg Fashion Library. Berg Fashion Library, n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. <http://www.bergfashionlibrary.com/view/bazf/bazf00651.xml?q=Yohji Yamamoto>.
Palomo-Lovinski, Nöel. "Yohji Yamamoto." The World's Most Influential Fashion Designers: Hidden Connections and Lasting Legacies of Fashion's Iconic Creators. New York, NY: Barron's, 2010. 106-09. Print.
"Yohji Yamamoto." Stylesight. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. <http://www.stylesight.com/search/search.php>.
"Yohji Yamamoto." - People and Companies of Fashion, Beauty and Retail. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. <http://www.wwd.com/people-companies/people-profile/yohji-yamamoto-1704153>.
Palomo-Lovinski, Nöel. "Yohji Yamamoto." The World's Most Influential Fashion Designers: Hidden Connections and Lasting Legacies of Fashion's Iconic Creators. New York, NY: Barron's, 2010. 106-09. Print.
"Yohji Yamamoto." Stylesight. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. <http://www.stylesight.com/search/search.php>.
"Yohji Yamamoto." - People and Companies of Fashion, Beauty and Retail. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. <http://www.wwd.com/people-companies/people-profile/yohji-yamamoto-1704153>.