Design
March 18, 2015
BRUTUS TRIP Editor-in-Chief Kenbun Ishiwata: An Interview, Part 1
The Common Ground Between "Travel" and "Fragrance"──
KENZO TRIP Editor-in-Chief Kenbun Ishiwata Interview (Part 1)
During his seven years as editor-in-chief of "BRUTUS," and even now as the head of Magazine House's Third Editorial Department and editor-in-chief of "BRUTUS TRIP," Kenbun Ishiwata remains captivated by KENZO PARFUMS' ability to transport one to the extraordinary.
Text by Nanajunana OtomoPhotos by Kaoru Kitahara
──To begin, could you tell us about your connection to KENZO PARFUMS?
In the magazines I've helmed as editor-in-chief, I've created advertorial pages that blend advertisements for KENZO PARFUMS with editorial content. Most recently, for the June 2008 issue of "BRUTUS TRIP," which launched last November, we developed a special tie-in page commemorating KENZO PARFUMS' 20th anniversary. Given "BRUTUS TRIP's" large format, which allows for impressive visuals, I thought it would be interesting to implement a double-page spread, and we did just that.
──When you actually hold it and look through it, it has quite a powerful impact.
Generally, for a 20th anniversary, one might be inclined to simply trace the history. However, looking back at KENZO PARFUMS' 20 years, I felt that a method of presenting the timeline with equal segments wouldn't quite fit. Even in terms of product releases, they haven't strictly launched new products every year; rather, they've been released intuitively. Therefore, I decided to encapsulate the 20-year history, based on products that marked specific moments, within the double-page spread, while the surface would feature visuals conveying KENZO PARFUMS' brand image.
──The vibrant red flowers are quite striking.
That depicts a campaign event held in Red Square in Moscow. The project began in 2000 with an event in Paris. One morning, suddenly, a vast number of red poppies appeared lining the streets of Paris. Everyone was free to take one home. Later, we learned it was a campaign for KENZO's new fragrance, FLOWERBYKENZO. The execution was incredibly beautiful and cool. I was deeply impressed by the brand's unique worldview. Wanting to incorporate that into our own magazines, I planned several tie-ins for KENZO PARFUMS in "BRUTUS," all related to travel features.
BRUTUS TRIP June 2008
Features a tie-in page commemorating KENZO PARFUMS' 20th anniversary
──Why was it about travel?
One reason is that Patrick Guedj, the creative director of KENZO PARFUMS, is someone who loves to travel. He's an artist focused on photography and travels the world as a photographer. There's a unique anecdote: KENZO PARFUMS staff are apparently taken on trips without being told the destination. This is based on Patrick's belief that they should share the brand image before the customers do. Apparently, it might suddenly be the desert (laughs). What they do is worldwide and always dynamic. The Japanese launch event for KENZO POWER, a new product in 2008, was similar. Journalists were boarded onto a bus in Ginza without being told where they were going. They arrived at Sankeien Garden in Yokohama, with its charming traditional Japanese houses... KENZO PARFUMS always has that element of surprise, or rather, I feel its power to draw you into an extraordinary space.