Fashion Diplomacy

Hara,the design director of Muji,who spoke about himself as a designer of experiences and objects,dwelt on the difference between simplicity and emptiness in a seminar that he addressed prior to the fashion show. The show comprised capsule collections by three Japanese brands — Anrelage,Mint Designs and Suzuki Takayuki. It was a distinctly different showing in the crystal rain climate of WIFW. Anrelage showed “Low”,a collection with pixelated cubes inspired from low resolution digital images. Mint Designs brought down fishnet socks and prints,while Takayuki sent in a few pieces from a former collection. Hara made a significant insight in his long winding speech. “Think more,don’t produce more,” he said. As the future of design depends more and more on how an “object” becomes an “experience”,these words are not empty of meaning.