Writtenafterwards studio visit

As a pendant to Nicola Formichetti's full-on fashion in the #Fantasia issue, we set out, guided by the superstylist, to meet some of the most exciting Tokyo design talent of the moment. Today we begin with Writtenafterwards, aka Yoshikazu Yamagata, who works emotionally and intuitively from zero, 'the most basic point of creation'. Ambitiously this has involved questioning what a collection would look like if God had art directed it and, in 2010, founding Coconogacco, a workshop/lab/education project with fashion students.

Dazed Digital: Can you tell us when you launched your label?
Yoshikazu Yamagata: I interned with John Galliano in 2004, graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2005 and launched Writtenafterwards in 2007. I’m based in Tokyo and show sporadically as part of Tokyo fashion week.
 
DD: Who wears your clothes?
Yoshikazu Yamagata: Celebrities, musicians, friends and my customers! I’m inspired by traditional Japanese and global, historical festival costume. I want to create clothes for the central figure in a ceremony or festival.

DD: What's your most famous design?
Yoshikazu Yamagata: My latest collection or 'The Big Bra', which I created in 2004 when I was a student.

DD: What's the best moment in your career so far?
Yoshikazu Yamagata: Now.
 
DD: What are your hopes for the future?
Yoshikazu Yamagata: I want to create new ways of fashion expression.
 
DD: What's your favourite thing about Nicola Formichetti?
Yoshikazu Yamagata: I respect him so much because he works with fashion in many different ways.
 
DD: What else should we know?
Yoshikazu Yamagata: I want to show my collection in London and Paris!

Photography Daisuke Hamada