Men's Designers at Night — Formal Dress in the Night!
Men's designers who are busy with work. Just what kinds of places do they go to relax? We had them wear their own versions of formal dress at the establishments they regularly visit, and asked them to talk about their views on formal dressing. Just as the clothes they create differ, so too do their nights, their formal dress, and their individual personalities.
Yohji Yamamoto 山本耀司 — Y's for men
Featured establishment — Balcon (バルコン), 7-17-20 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Bottle-keeping service starts from ¥6,000. The candles in the photograph are historic objects that have been there since Christmas in the year the establishment opened, ten years ago.
To wear the things one likes, as long as they are worn cleanly—that is Mr. Yamamoto's way of thinking. Because he believes that, depending on how they are worn, anything can become formal attire, he resists the narrow limits placed on formal dress in America and Japan. He says he can't believe that there are places where one cannot be accepted without a necktie.
What he chose was a combination of a sweatshirt, casual trousers, and athletic shoes. Through the combination of casual items, he gave them a formal feeling. He doesn't want to follow the rules of dress established by Europe, nor does he want to go along with America's cartoon culture. Here, one can glimpse one aspect of his originality.
Mr. Yamamoto is a busy man, working late every night and arriving at the office around nine o'clock in the morning. He says that his first condition when going out for drinks is that the establishment should not be pretentious. But because he is so occupied with work, he has almost stopped going out to drink. "I hardly even have time to come to Balcon, so I suppose you could say I've stopped drinking." he said with a wry smile.
Jacket, Trousers by Y's. Sweatshirt by Y's for men.
Dress-up: Invited Guests
(First from left)
Keiichi Kataishi (Age 25) — Musashino Art Junior College
1. Clothes worn that day
“The coat and shirt are by Y's for men. The suit is by Comme des Garçons Homme. The shoes are by Hawkins. The glasses are by Lafont.”
2. Philosophy concerning clothing
“New Wave, surfer style, and things like that—to hell with them, that's how I feel. I dislike the kinds of clothes that everyone is wearing nowadays, such as Italian casual. In terms of image, I like something with a reggae-like feeling, something with the atmosphere of everyday life around the Middle East. Until recently, I wore colorful clothes and had flashy hair as well. These days, I'm thinking of wearing monochrome colors and growing my hair long. Among Japanese designers, I like clothes with a sense of presence, such as those by Issey Miyake.”
3. Places frequently visited
“Y's for men, Comme des Garçons Homme, Lloyd Clothing, BEAMS, PARCO in Ikebukuro, Craftsmanship, and Bunka-ya Zakkaten.”
4. Hobbies and the future
“Music. To become a designer who surpasses Issey Miyake.”
