At the recent Salone del Mobile in Milan, Guliano Fujiwara presented a collection of home furnishings with the Japanese design ideal of Wabi Sabi at its core.
Wabi Sabi, admittedly a concept that creative director Masataka Matsumura of fashion brand Guliano Fujiwara incorporates in all his collections, derives from Zen. It is an aesthetic philosophy of looking at the beauty in imperfection, “the beauty of the shadow which is concealed on the other side of shining beauty, and new shape invented from a style that seems unbalanced”. This starting point led to work on the concept of Dominoes, a dominant and recurring theme linking the pieces in the collection together.
Celia Loves: How has the response been to the new collection of home furnishings? Masataka Matsumura: The response from the visitors of Salone del Mobile to our home furnishing collection was extremely good and positive. Everybody showed a lot of interest in the details, especially in the “domino” effect, and in the irregular details I’ve added following my personal interpretation of Wabi-Sabi, which I incorporate into each and every aspect of my collections.
CL: You use Wabi Sabi when designing. What was the starting point for this collection? Masataka Matsumura: The starting point for this specific collection was the research for the irregular details you can now see in one of the tables, for example, or in the general shape of the collection. They are in the cut of the carpets and rugs which, again, reproduces the “domino” effect; something very close to the décor of my brand new flagship store in Milan, something that really represents my world and my way of thinking. Visiting this store truly helps to explain my philosophy and my idea of design; it represents all that matters for me and perfectly expresses my creativity.
CL: Which other aspects of your life do you use Wabi Sabi? Masataka Matsumura: Wabi-Sabi is my main source of inspiration, and I draw from it for any Giuliano Fujiwara collection; for home furnishing as well as for clothing and accessories, but I often refer to it also for in my personal life whenever design matters are involved. My house in Tokyo, my flagship store in Milan (which I favour above all), my personal choice of details – such as fabrics, shapes, colours – they all reflect Wabi-Sabi as a life philosophy. For me as a Japanese, one of the most relevant historical figures is Sen No Rikyu, the father of Wabi-Sabi, whose portrait appears in the movie “Death of a Tea Master” with actor Toshiro Mifune. I often refer to him and his teachings as well.
CL: What are the next plans for the brand.? Any more branching out into other areas? Masataka Matsumura: For the future of the home furnishing collection, I want to keep adding details derived from my personal aesthetic vision and from Wabi-Sabi. I also want to expand the brand’s business as well adding new collaborations to the ones that have been started in the past, of course paying always full attention to venture into fields that are in line with Giuliano Fujiwara’s philosophy and brand image, that I’ve tried to renew after joining is as creative director.
Next month in the Milanese flagship store we’ll hold an exhibition - the first ever, called GIULIANO FUJIWARA: RETROSPECTIVE-PROSPECTIVE – about the past, the present and the future of the brand, that will show exactly what the brand is all about, from its avant-garde start in the early 80s to its current modernity, that keeps mixing and balancing Japanese philosophy and Italian manufacturing traditions.
I will also keep developing co-marketing projects with brands whose values I share and respect, and also licensing programs will be developed, even if in a very selective way.
CL: What themes are you thinking about for the upcoming S/S 10 catwalk show?
Masataka Matsumura: The trend for the new S/S 10 collection that will hit the runway in Milan in June draws inspiration from current times; in reaction to this time of recession and crisis, the key word, that the new collection seems to express, is matter-of-factness. The collection therefore will be strong and masculine, with military accents, and very straightforward.
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