Yohji on What's Sexy

[rach2jlc]

Re: Yohji on What's Sexy



In many ways, I think Yohji represents a number of interesting contradictions/seemingly paradoxical ideasthat connect with his own experiences. Certainly, his ideals are influenced by Japanese aesthetics and his own life as a Japanese man. BUT, for several decades, he has also had a large presence in Paris and spends a good deal of time there (also in NYC) and this has also influeced him. So, perhaps trying to connect thisseeming contradiction between sexiness/protection, how much would his "alluring/sexy" clothing attempt to de-objectify the woman wearing them? Though sexiness in japanese culture related to wearing MORE clothes, this also in many cases turned the wearer into a sexual/alluring object (the geisha were hardly valued for their raw humanity). So, perhaps he plays off a simultaneous ability of clothing to PROTECT the wearer while also making them MORE alluring because of being covered. In other words, the woman is armored and protected from unwelcome eyes, but just because of that protection, radiates an inherent allure???

[Servo2000]

Re: Yohji on What's Sexy

This is absolutely fascinating.

[nairb49]

Re: Yohji on What's Sexy



agreed!

rach2jc, thanks for the insight, I took it in a complete different light. I thought by saying "armor", it had some connection to his idea that he looks terrible in a tailored suit, and armor was a sort of shield against outside opinion.

That is to say that women employ this "armor" as an added level of confidence I guess you could say. But now upon hearing your explanation, my interpretation makes little sense.

[laika]

Re: Yohji on What's Sexy

Thanks, John, I like that interpretation. [:)] Perhaps it's simply the existence of that paradox that makes Yohji's clothes so alluring.....

[Fuuma]

Re: Yohji on What's Sexy




8. I love the back. A beautiful back makes a beautiful front. When you
slouch, think about what happens to your front. You have to keep your
back in the right position. This is where your spirit lies.

This makes it so obvious he practices Kendo. Back positioning is an obsession for these people, I remember when I was taking some classes I would walk/sit/etc extra-straight 24/7 or I'd feel like I was "imperfect".

[PrinceOfCats]

Re: Yohji on What's Sexy



Thanks to the possibly dodgy translation 'sexy', I'm now thinking of Yohji in a Justin Timberlake video.

[Faust]

Re: Yohji on What's Sexy

[quote user="PrinceOfCats"]

Thanks to the possibly dodgy translation 'sexy', I'm now thinking of Yohji in a Justin Timberlake video.

[/quote]

Go, baby, go!

[nairb49]

Re: Yohji on What's Sexy

That would be some video....

[Servo2000]

Re: Yohji on What's Sexy

[quote user="laika"]


11. I don?t think we should try to make space our own. I believe that
as modern people we should live in mobility. We should always be
moving.

(from men.style.com)

[/quote]

I was going through old threads today looking for ideas for a paper I'm writing at the moment and I was considering this quote. If he is referring to the constant change of our world, then his suggestion seems to fall in line with many martial philosophies which emphasise moving into things like water. If he's referring to literal movement, then I find an interesting problem in that Yohji's work / philosophy is clearly rooted in the sensibilities of his environment, and yet, this hypermodern idea of constant movement and nonspaces (Etc...) tends to imply abandoning these ideas and (possibly) aesthetics and ideals, because much of what he said before, to me, quote contradict this idea (be it his approach to clothing or "love").

Overall, I'm still thinking about the implication, but I think this philosophy in relation to his clothing was overlooked, or, as always, possibly mistranslated. Either that or I'm just in an overly-analytical mood.

[seiji]

Re: Yohji on What's Sexy

I think Yohji was also referring to the instinct of owning an estate or a land. People tends to buy an estate and settle there. The problem when you decide to settle somewhere is that you tend to lose creativity because you're less able to move. I think Yohji wants to urge people to do what they want and not be submitted by their job etc... Yohji himself and other designers such as issey miyake traveled and studied a lot abroad (especially in France) and this explains partly their large view about society and their creativity. Yohji seems to see globalization as the ability to travel easily in the world and that's why as modern people we should be curious to other cultures to enrich ourselves. It joins the idea that copying is the worst thing to do in fashion or in all kind of arts. To succeed in an art , people need to move ie: for fashion to travel, to notice the ideas of different designers, to study... and at least all those influences will create our own personality and point of view about our art and it's the only way to create something unique. When he insists on always be moving, i think Yohji wants to show that human is the only living being who don't know clearly what he aims. For other animals there are no objectives in their life but for human there is an aim and we can't distinguish it clearly because it changes during our life. This explains why human is the only living being who is creative and that we should move towards what we aim constantly. Moving is action. That's why for Yohji if we stop moving that means we are not full-fledged humans because we don't use all of our capacities. Well humans should never be "retired". Some of my ideas are maybe exaggerated but i think that's a part of his message: not being too realistic, too worried by our image in the society and follow our dreams. :)

[Faust]

Re: Yohji on What's Sexy

/\ Falls in line with the upcoming Raf Simons collection.

[matthewhk]

Re: Yohji on What's Sexy



[quote user="seiji"]I think Yohji was also referring to the instinct of owning an estate or a land. People tends to buy an estate and settle there. The problem when you decide to settle somewhere is that you tend to lose creativity because you're less able to move. I think Yohji wants to urge people to do what they want and not be submitted by their job etc... Yohji himself and other designers such as issey miyake traveled and studied a lot abroad (especially in France) and this explains partly their large view about society and their creativity. Yohji seems to see globalization as the ability to travel easily in the world and that's why as modern people we should be curious to other cultures to enrich ourselves. It joins the idea that copying is the worst thing to do in fashion or in all kind of arts. To succeed in an art , people need to move ie: for fashion to travel, to notice the ideas of different designers, to study... and at least all those influences will create our own personality and point of view about our art and it's the only way to create something unique. When he insists on always be moving, i think Yohji wants to show that human is the only living being who don't know clearly what he aims. For other animals there are no objectives in their life but for human there is an aim and we can't distinguish it clearly because it changes during our life. This explains why human is the only living being who is creative and that we should move towards what we aim constantly. Moving is action. That's why for Yohji if we stop moving that means we are not full-fledged humans because we don't use all of our capacities. Well humans should never be "retired". Some of my ideas are maybe exaggerated but i think that's a part of his message: not being too realistic, too worried by our image in the society and follow our dreams. :)
[/quote]

after reading this interpretation i find Yohji's statement quite liberating...it struck a nerve especially now that i'm in a position where I work in an industry that is all about confinement and limitations.

[auch]

Re: Yohji on What's Sexy

[quote user="laika"]

6. You can tell what a woman is going to be like in bed just by
looking at her. There is a feeling about someone that comes from
experience. When you?ve seen it once, you will recognize it again.

wow, this is fantastic.

[/quote]

[Avantster]

Re: Yohji on What's Sexy

8. I love the back. A beautiful back makes a beautiful front. When you
slouch, think about what happens to your front. You have to keep your
back in the right position. This is where your spirit lies.

[Pinoy]

Re: Yohji on What's Sexy



personally, my favorite quote from the article was:

"Men?s clothing is about tiny details, and I hate that. I am very
small and I look stupid in a perfectly tailored suit. I want to be able
to wear things that don?t fit perfectly, with the sleeves far too long.
I wish clothing came with no sizes at all. It would be much better that
way."

whether in business, the arts, and even dressing, would it be correct to say that most people have been brought up to strive for perfection? the media argues that perfection equals beauty. take for example GQ-- it says that your jacket sleeves only look good when they are at a certain length-- not an inch shorter or longer.. its so refreshing to see someone breaking the mold and advocating that imperfection equals beauty.