Interview
Fashion's Unexpected Star
Written By binksPhotographed By nzkn
2024-05-05
In the weeks leading up to this year‘s Red Line Gala, we sat down with the incomparable Yamato to speak about the piece they‘d be showing off on the red carpet. We talked about the process behind making a dress of such importance as well as finalising the outfit by choosing the right accessories. Of course, we also had some time to chat a bit about some juicy details in Yamato‘s life.
Red Line News: With the release of your latest film, you have shown the world new depths to your acting. Are you now planning to take over the fashion world as well?
Yamato: (laughs) I don‘t think anybody would like to see me sew or stitch. Might as well try to cook something, that won‘t end well. But I am very excited and honoured to work with Kozuki Hiyori, I couldn’t believe it at first when my agent told me she had asked for my attendance. It has been a very pleasant experience all in all.
The Vision
RLN: Making a dress to impress at the Red Line Gala, where does one start? How did you and Kozuki approach this topic?
Yamato: Well, if you had asked me before, I could have only shrugged. But Kozuki has taught me a lot over the process, really explaining her planning phase. First, we talked — what kind of outfit I‘d feel comfortable in, what would fit the theme, which cuts and fabrics could work. Most of the time, we didn‘t even talk about the garment but really just ideas, brainstorming and gathering things we had seen before, no matter if it was other pieces, Pinterest inspo boards or fabrics found in little tailoring shops.
In the Making
RLN: How did the brainstorming then translate to starting on the outfit?
Yamato: It started with a sketch, Kozuki somehow took all our talks and created a drawing that accounted for a lot of our ideas. There were lots of changes throughout the whole process, but it never felt chaotic or unintended. It was truly wonderful to see a genius in action and be a part of it. I think we all grow up with the wish of “making it“ and… the first time I had the feeling that I might have finally made it, was when I stepped into Kozuki‘s workshop to get my measurements taken. This is something I wish everyone to experience when they shop for their wedding outfits, just like royalty.
RLN: You could call it star treatment…
Yamato: Absolutely.
RLN: What exactly does it take for a sketch to become “the dress“?
Yamato: A village. (chuckles) Choosing the right fabric and seeing how draping can change the whole appearance was a true epiphany. Don‘t get me wrong, I have been curious about fashion all my life, but it has always been more of a byproduct, something like an accessory for my acting career. But now, I have learned so much, it‘s impossible to ignore the impact of fashion on daily life.
RLN: To which extent have you been involved in the process?
Yamato: I don‘t want to take too much credit, I was basically more like a spectator, sometimes throwing in ideas when I was not staring in awe, mouth agape and all. (Laughs) The seamstresses and tailors, Kozuki, they all made me feel very involved, never making a decision without talking to me before so I could understand the message, the meaning behind the outfit. But yes, they did all the heavy lifting.
The Try-On
RLN: Tell us something about trying your dress on for the first time.
Yamato: Magical. There‘s no words really to see something that you had only seen on paper before… I am moderately creative, I‘d say, but I could not have thought up something as exquisite as that dress. When I tried it on, of course, it wasn‘t perfect right away but it already felt so unmistakably like me, it was just right.
RLN: So you said yes to the dress right away. That all sounds like the picture perfect experience…
Yamato: Absolutely, although I‘d like to add that there was a good amount of needle poking involved…
The Final Look
RLN: So now we have the clothes, we have the vision... What else is missing?
Yamato: Wearing clothes isn’t the end of the road. You would be surprised at the amount of thought that goes into styling an already insanely detailed and carefully crafted piece of fabric. It’s all about the accessories and shoes. You want to compliment but you don’t want to take away from it. You want to match the energy but don’t want to distract the viewer and divert the gaze.
RLN: This sounds very in-depth…
Yamato: There is a whole story that goes into finishing the look. I’ll admit I had never thought about fashion in that way, I simply put on what my stylist had chosen for me but seeing the process and being involved, it opened my eyes. It is like a tale unfolding in front of your eyes… it also awakened my interest in costume design in general, suddenly the clothes chosen for a special scene are not random anymore. Suddenly, that red garment has meaning, it’s simply magical.
RLN: Just like your walk on the carpet in the end. It was a magical tale itself, looking back at the evening. You did look like you had just jumped out of the sea, having found treasure of immeasurable worth.
Yamato: All thanks to Kozuki Hyori and her incredible team. I cannot thank them all enough for making this such a special experience for me. Hopefully, we will work together again in the future as there is still so much for me to learn!
