[ICON] Yamamoto Kansai – Beyond the bounds of designer to become a world renowned multi talented producer（2/2）

2012.07.27

ab: What made you become a fashion designer, and how did you go on to be an event producer?

Kansai: I was really into fashion, and I knew from my high school days to after graduating university that I would become a fashion designer (lol). The thing that got me started on events was there were so few people in Japan who shared my way of thinking – those who were so particular about fashion. I think you will understand that to start a project and make it a success is a monumental task, and I always start my brainstorming on \0. I don’t start with a budget, I start by persuading people. In the future I might grow weary of it, but I intend to continue for as long as I can (lol).

ab: Who or what has influenced you?

Kansai: There aren’t many people (who have influenced me) but traveling to various unknown countries is the best stimulation.
Creating something from scratch is always challenging, but I want to keep trying to create the “first in the world”.

ab: Where does your inspiration come from?

Kansai: I don’t know where my inspiration comes from. I don’t try to do things a second time. I always try to do something that is a world first. That is my standard. It is easy to copy someone else, but really difficult to make something from scratch.

ab: Do you have a message for the young Asian readers of this website?

Kansai: I don’t want people to just be satisfied with just one region of Japan.
Take magazines for example, there are tens and hundreds more magazines in the world. There are also many wonderful artists and editors etc. all over the world. If you want to make a magazine, try to make it to the level where this magazine is recognized as the bible for young people to understand what’s going on in Japan. Anyway, have ambitious dreams and keep on going to make them a reality.

（Interview：31.8.2011）