2023.10.30
The Intricate Fusion of Entertainment & Technology: Stylist Shinichi Mita Explores the Challenges & Possibilities
As a stylist, Shinichi Mita works with a variety of media, from fashion magazines and advertisements to the latest technology-assisted artist costumes. He not only provides styling and direction but also actively presents his own works.
We interviewed Mita about fashion and technology, an area he feels is particularly challenging in recent times.
PROFILE
Shinichi Mita
He began his career as a stylist in 1997, moved to England in 1998, and returned to Japan in 2001.
Currently, he works with fashion magazines, advertisements, live performances, films, drama series, etc., providing styling and costume design. He also serves as the creative director for NF, led by Ichiro Yamaguchi of Sakanaction.
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The Difficulty of Merging Technology in the Entertainment Realm
Mita, as a stylist, you've been actively involved in various fashion tech initiatives. What activities have you been engaged in recently?
Lately, I've been feeling the difficulty of merging fashion with technology. I've been working on textile material development with Rhizomatiks, but at the end of the day, if we can't implement it into real clothing, it's meaningless.While it's amazing that new textiles are being developed, the ultimate goal is for these ideas to be put to use in people's lives, and how they are specifically applied is important to us.
It's important that ideas are expressed through fabrics, but it's meaningless if they're not actually used in the real world. After all, we need to take it to a level where other people besides us can use it, and where it can achieve the same level of functionality, and where it can gain widespread acceptance.
For example, even in the costumes of artists you've been working with as a stylist, you mention the difficulty of integrating technology. What kind of difficulties arise when those become costumes?
There are several difficulties. As a costume, the comfort and ease of movement are crucial. However, fabrics that incorporate technology can be painful or stiff when worn, and if they have wiring, they can catch when moved. Moreover, there can also be issues with sweat. These kinds of challenges keep cropping up (laughs).The key is how to evolve and update it in a state where no one else is doing it. It's the same with costumes; firstly, trying it out, and then seeing how much it can be updated is crucial.
For instance, when making light-emitting clothes, we think about how to update those clothes. However, the client may not be able to envision how to use those light-emitting clothes or what comes after that. In other words, our perspective differs from that of the client.
Furthermore, even if we can make light-emitting clothes, to maximize the technology aspect, we need to address various challenges and issues. For example, apart from the issue of wiring I mentioned earlier, new challenges may arise due to weather, like suddenly having to deal with rain while outdoors.
To overcome these challenges, we might need to consider materials with characteristics similar to human skin, climate, softness, and various other factors. However, when we start designing with all these elements in mind, it feels like we'll never find something that fulfills all of them.
Also, there are many things that we only understand when we actually do it. We may develop from the material and feel that there is potential for it to work as an idea, but when we actually start moving the fabric, we realize that even distribution of force is necessary, or that the cloth doesn't move.
The fabric may not revert to its original shape when stretched sideways, or certain movements may cause discomfort. The production process is most important, and the final product may not be as impactful as expected.
Not only do we develop textiles, but we also focus on implementation. So, we are increasingly thinking about how to proceed to realize those ideas.
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