ITS (International Talent Support), a fashion contest held annually in Trieste, Italy, serves as a springboard for new designers. This year, four Japanese designers were named finalists in this highly anticipated competition. To commemorate this milestone, starting September 27th, the TOKYO Kaihoku Zone on the second floor of the Isetan Shinjuku Main Building will exhibit and sell works by seven past ITS finalists. FASHION HEADLINE interviewed the three finalists, still thrilled about their nominations, to learn more about their winning works and their enthusiasm for the new pieces they will be showcasing in this project. This time, we're featuring Katakai Hazuki, winner of Swatch's Special Award in the Art Category. --What's your profile leading up to your award? After graduating from Musashino Art University's Department of Scenography, Display and Fashion Design, she went on to graduate school and then worked at Nintendo as a game planner. While I was working for a company, I was absorbed in my work, but gradually my desire to create my own works grew stronger... I quit my job and began my career as an artist full-time last year. I happened to learn about ITS through a magazine article. When I create a work, I don't always decide on a category like art, fashion, or design. Instead, I first create what I want to create and then categorize it later. ITS is a fashion contest, but I submitted my work with the thought of wondering how it would be received.
--Please tell us about the concept behind your winning work, "Weapons of Love."
"Weapons of Love" is an exhibition of 12 weapons of various shapes. The artwork category to which I submitted this work had few restrictions on the works, except that they had to fit within a 3m x 3m area and that they had to use products from the sponsor, Swatch, somewhere.
I feel like the world is becoming increasingly chaotic, or that things are becoming more uncertain. Although I cannot directly solve this problem, I created this work with the hope that it might help people think about happiness, and realize the importance of making others happy and showing love. Weapons are originally tools used to hurt others, but I thought that if we changed our thinking and remade them into positive tools for making people happy and showing love to others, what would happen? At first glance, they look like weapons like spears or swords, but when you use them, they are devices that make you feel joyful and filled with love, such as leaving love marks on someone or tickling them to make them laugh. I would be happy if people who see my work are inspired to be kind to those close to them and try to make them happy.
A weapon that can leave a love bite on someone
--Is there any experience or story that inspired you to create your works?
It may have been influenced by the fact that I was a member of a seminar taught by a stage design professor at university. I like "works that interact with people as one," that is, works that you wear and move yourself, so I create that kind of work in my own works. Stage design also makes use of devices such as costumes and art to express a certain worldview, so there may be a similar sensibility.
I also have a desire to "control the uncontrollable." I want to try to control the uncontrollable using tools and devices, and I reflect that in my work. If there's one thing I share with my previous job as a game planner, it's the desire to entertain people. Even if my method of expression changes, I want to create works that are uniquely my own.
Starting September 27th, the pop-up shop "ITS@TOKYO Liberation Zone" on the second floor of the Isetan Shinjuku Main Building (TOKYO Liberation Zone) will exhibit Katakai's award-winning work, "Weapons of Love," and show a video of it in use. I hope visitors will experience the worldview of this work, filled with happiness and love, and feel its power to lighten the negative emotions and oppressive atmosphere of the world. :
【Event Information】
Title: ITS＠TOKYO Liberation Zone - Incubating Up-and-Coming Designers-
Dates: September 27th to October 4th
Venue: Isetan Shinjuku Main Building 2F = Center Park / TOKYO Liberation Zone
【Designer Appearance】
■September 27th: Nakazato Shuko, Shimizu Masanori, Tokisawa Chinami
■September 28th: Tokisawa Chinami
■September 29th: Katakai Hazuki
■October 1st: Shimizu Masanori, Tokisawa Chinami
■October 2nd: Murakami Ryota, Shimizu Masanori
■October 4th: Shimizu Masanori, Tokisawa Chinami
※Due to unforeseen circumstances, the store visit schedule may be canceled or changed.
In addition, the designers may be absent at certain times of the day.
--Please tell us about the concept behind your winning work, "Weapons of Love."
"Weapons of Love" is an exhibition of 12 weapons of various shapes. The artwork category to which I submitted this work had few restrictions on the works, except that they had to fit within a 3m x 3m area and that they had to use products from the sponsor, Swatch, somewhere.
I feel like the world is becoming increasingly chaotic, or that things are becoming more uncertain. Although I cannot directly solve this problem, I created this work with the hope that it might help people think about happiness, and realize the importance of making others happy and showing love. Weapons are originally tools used to hurt others, but I thought that if we changed our thinking and remade them into positive tools for making people happy and showing love to others, what would happen? At first glance, they look like weapons like spears or swords, but when you use them, they are devices that make you feel joyful and filled with love, such as leaving love marks on someone or tickling them to make them laugh. I would be happy if people who see my work are inspired to be kind to those close to them and try to make them happy.
A weapon that can leave a love bite on someone
--Is there any experience or story that inspired you to create your works?
It may have been influenced by the fact that I was a member of a seminar taught by a stage design professor at university. I like "works that interact with people as one," that is, works that you wear and move yourself, so I create that kind of work in my own works. Stage design also makes use of devices such as costumes and art to express a certain worldview, so there may be a similar sensibility.
I also have a desire to "control the uncontrollable." I want to try to control the uncontrollable using tools and devices, and I reflect that in my work. If there's one thing I share with my previous job as a game planner, it's the desire to entertain people. Even if my method of expression changes, I want to create works that are uniquely my own.
Starting September 27th, the pop-up shop "ITS@TOKYO Liberation Zone" on the second floor of the Isetan Shinjuku Main Building (TOKYO Liberation Zone) will exhibit Katakai's award-winning work, "Weapons of Love," and show a video of it in use. I hope visitors will experience the worldview of this work, filled with happiness and love, and feel its power to lighten the negative emotions and oppressive atmosphere of the world. :
【Event Information】
Title: ITS＠TOKYO Liberation Zone - Incubating Up-and-Coming Designers-
Dates: September 27th to October 4th
Venue: Isetan Shinjuku Main Building 2F = Center Park / TOKYO Liberation Zone
【Designer Appearance】
■September 27th: Nakazato Shuko, Shimizu Masanori, Tokisawa Chinami
■September 28th: Tokisawa Chinami
■September 29th: Katakai Hazuki
■October 1st: Shimizu Masanori, Tokisawa Chinami
■October 2nd: Murakami Ryota, Shimizu Masanori
■October 4th: Shimizu Masanori, Tokisawa Chinami
※Due to unforeseen circumstances, the store visit schedule may be canceled or changed.
In addition, the designers may be absent at certain times of the day.
