2021.07.30

Cloth Connecting Body & Environment: "What's the Matter?" 003 Event Report

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As an attempt to connect materials, information, and experiences, Associate Professor Yasuaki Kakehi from the University of Tokyo proposes "Material Experience Design." In the fashion domain, efforts to update clothing and materials are accelerating. Exploration into the materials and devices surrounding us, and the creation of interactive experiences through materials, will provide significant insights into the future vision of clothing/fashion.

Focusing on such "Material Experience Design," the University of Tokyo Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies, Kakehi Lab held the third talk event of "What’s the Matter?" on May 23, 2021, online. This time, the guest was Masataka Hosoo, President and CEO of HOSOO Co., Ltd., a long-established Nishijin-ori (Nishijin-style weaving) company. The event was livestreamed from HOSOO GALLERY, where the collaborative exhibition "Ambient WeavingーEnvironment and Textile" by HOSOO Co., Ltd., Kakehi Lab, and ZOZO Technologies is being held. Here, we bring you the discussion on the potential of fabric, the closest material to our bodies.

PROFILE

Masataka Hosoo

Director of HOSOO GALLERY／President and CEO of HOSOO Co., Ltd.
MIT Media Lab Director's Fellow

Born in 1978 into the Hosoo family, which has engaged in Nishijin-ori since the first year of Genroku era (1688) in Kyoto. Under the philosophy of "Crafts Connect the Future," he is committed to inheriting traditional kimono culture and developing luxury textiles based on the technology and materials of Nishijin-ori. He pursues business through the beauty of fabrics.

PROFILE

Yasuaki Kakehi

Associate Professor at the Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies, Graduate School, University of Tokyo
Interactive Media Researcher/Media Artist
After obtaining a Doctorate in Interdisciplinary Information Studies from the University of Tokyo and serving as Lecturer and Associate Professor at Keio University, as well as conducting research at MIT, he joined the University of Tokyo Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies in 2018. Besides research and production of works aimed at enhancing real-world experiences using display and interface technologies, he has recently been presenting numerous physical interfaces and installations under the theme of Material Experience Design, manipulating the physical characteristics of materials.
Website

The Spirit of Beauty Cultivated Over a Long History

The talk began with an introduction by Hosoo, discussing the history of Nishijin-ori and HOSOO Co., Ltd., as well as their current business ventures. HOSOO Co., Ltd. was founded in 1688, and the origin of Nishijin-ori dates back 1200 years. Particularly during the 1000 years when Kyoto was the capital, under the patronage of the Imperial Family and many others, the relentless pursuit of beauty was ongoing. Nishijin, produced within a 5-kilometer radius, is a tradition that continues to this day. Nishijin-ori involves 20 processes, each handled by a master craftsman, totaling 20 specialists. Rather than internalizing all processes, they employ a division of labor, with independent craftsmen collaborating to create the ultimate beauty.

At HOSOO Co., Ltd., they have developed a loom capable of weaving wide fabrics, in addition to traditional obi-width production. For the past 10 years, they have been focusing on business expansion, particularly with luxury brands overseas. For instance, their fabrics are used on the walls and beams of Christian Dior's store in New York. Moreover, they contribute as interiors in luxurious hotels like the Ritz Carlton Tokyo and the Four Seasons, as modern art, and even as decorative materials for cars like Lexus. Hosoo envisions expanding the positioning of Nishijin-ori by engaging in the development of new materials.

In parallel with these business activities, since 1923, we have also been engaged in producer work, wholesaling kimonos from dyeing production areas and Japanese national treasures to specialty stores and department stores across Japan. Dyeing is something that is closely related to the climate, history, and character of the people in the region, and in a sense can be said to be a medium of that land. We are also making efforts to convey Japanese culture and preserve tradition. Furthermore, at the HOSOO Gallery, which was launched in September 2019, exhibition plans are being held to question what beauty is to humans and what it means to be human through dyeing. This time's "Ambient Weaving―Environment and Textile" is a part of that and marks the fourth exhibition in total.

Hosoo himself has an unusual background, having been influenced by punk music and worked as a musician after graduating from university. These experiences have led him to pursue somewhat radical ventures while connecting with the outside of traditional crafts.

HosooI realized that Nishijin-ori is incredibly creative, and that's why I returned to this world. Since then, I've been developing various projects, aiming to bring Nishijin-ori into domains that have never been explored before. There's still a long way to go, though.

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