424 S/S '20

Congratulations on your debut! How are you feeling?

Thank you. I’m feeling great, very happy to finally have executed this show as [a runway presentation] has been in the making for quite some time now. Being able to see it all come together is both satisfying and exciting.

You had kept your audience waiting indeed; how come you felt like you were ready to take on the challenge for this particular season?

Well it has been highly anticipated–10 years–but then came the pandemic, and right after that uncertain period my personal focus was dedicated to actual making of the clothes, rather than the presentation of them, even if they might be considered to go hand in hand. Now, I felt like I’ve taken my time to build up a long lasting relationship with both the community and my collaborators, and so this is the time to celebrate it all coming together.

You have described your previous collections not only as objects or garments, but rather as carriers of philosophy, perhaps best described as a medium of silent communication, touching upon topics such as En-yo, Mottainai, what was the ethos behind this collection, Land of Setting Sun?

Just as in earlier seasons, these looks are definitely created in close contact with spirituality. The title refers to an utopia of dragon and snakes, specifically Nāga, being the snake God of Hinduism. The serpentine functioned as my starting point, but there are also many references which nod to fertility and the Uroboros circle, which is an ancient symbol of a snake biting its own tail; embodying the eternal cycle. I enjoy exploring different cultures [Akasaka himself being between west and east, American and Asian], and then connecting them all together through my research. It feels as if I’m creating unique stories, it comes naturally.

Does your practice stop at merely fashion design? For not only have you been narrating numerous tales, but also designing, creating, shooting and even modeling your garments during the last decade, is there any way to define your transversal practice?

That's very true. I suppose it’s up for question, both for me and for other people. However I still feel like what I’m doing has fashion design at its core, but then again what’s fashion? It's individual.

Does this notion of individuality have anything to do with your practice as “challenging the status quo?”

In my opinion, we should all be challenging the status quo by being ourselves. During my upbringing, I tried to fit in with the rest, which I suppose is not that different from any other person at a certain point. Then I realized that as I was doing that I kept my own character hidden. What’s normal to you isn’t necessarily normal to me, call me abnormal if you’d like, but the starting point of ourselves should always come from within.

Besides that focus of individuality, what other feeling do you want your audience to leave the venue with today?

Above all I want us to keep thinking about the future, but instead of it as an abstract loose term, I want us to think that we can create the future that we want.

Are we on the right road towards that mission?

I think so, yes.