An interview with Jotaro Saito, Designer for the kimono brand JOTARO SAITO x Yumiko Kamada, Shiseido top hair ＆ makeup artist （Part 1）

Finding a Balance with the New Era

• Kamada:
  I'm always excited to see what kind of new designs come to life when working with you. Your concept for this show was "Balance control," in which I saw many refreshing diverse and graphical designs.

• Saito:
  The new Reiwa era has arrived, and my challenge was how to come up with a balanced kimono style. Inbound visitors to Japan have increased over the past few years. They come to encounter the new Japan, so as a modern kimono creator I felt the need to come up with styles that embrace the atmosphere of the modern era rather than the past.​ ​

• Kamada:
  Many people have a traditional view of kimonos, but your designs are quite different, aren't they?​ ​

• Saito:
  ​ ​I think we should wear modern kimonos in a more urban-like atmosphere rather than just with traditional backdrops like Japanese-style rooms and gardens. A city metropolis with skyscrapers reaching out to the skies is exactly the place to wear a kimono. That's the kind of design I want to create for this new era.

• Kamada:
  Your love for taking on new challenges has always inspired me, but you must run into difficulties when trying new things, no?

• Saito:
  That's right; nothing new comes easy. We continuously need to nurture our audience and end-users over a long period of time. The "Balance control" concept includes this process, and I think the TOKYO KIMONO COLLECTION is an important place to convey this idea.

Giving Beauty an Edge

• Saito:
  Hair and makeup are an integral part of any show. Since I am a man, I am not very familiar with these processes and tend to put them off for later. I have a complete trust in your work so I don’t give you specific directions. I simply request that you make my models to look the most beautiful in the world. Is that too little to ask for? (laughs)​ ​​ ​

• Kamada:
  Your designs embrace your unique worldview, so I try to see what I can do as a hair and makeup artist by looking at the big picture. You have an idea of what women should look like, and you basically like attractive women. (laughs) However, rather than a classic elegant look, your focus is on street-style. I always try to give an edge to the hair and makeup to bring the look together. This year, you wanted to use golden hair accessories as accents and they were beautiful pieces made from metallic plates. They were made especially for the show, weren't they?

• Saito:
  Yes, they were specially made for this show by metal ornament artisans in Kyoto.​ ​

• Kamada:
  I always discuss hair and makeup ideas with you by sketching them out. We kept tweaking the hair accessories until the last rehearsal, didn't we? You're incredible with such details when it comes to fleshing out your designs.

• Saito:
  I used the hair accessories to show a fusion of tradition and innovation. I want my show to have such an impact that it makes the existing kimonos look old. That’s how dedicated I am to create something “new.” I don’t think something’s great just because it’s new. You need to have the sense to judge if it is right for a mature formal look and has not become a costume. It’s all about creating a style with the right balance.​ ​

• Kamada:
  You’re an innovator, but you also have a great respect for tradition and take on new challenges with this mindset. That's what makes you so attractive and unique.

Continues to part 2:​ ​
An interview with Jotaro Saito, Designer for the kimono brand JOTARO SAITO x Yumiko Kamada, Shiseido top hair ＆ makeup artist （Part 2）