A New Way for Fashion and Music to Connect

—The Autumn/Winter 2010 collection is themed "City Light Serenade." What kind of image does that evoke?

Lovers gathering under the city lights at night. The theme, like last season, was something I developed with Asako Toki.

—Did your involvement with the artwork for Toki's "Random Reflection Girl" stem from that connection?

Yes. We talked about wanting to explore a new kind of relationship between a singer and a designer. The word "random reflection" came to me, and when I asked her to capture that image in a tagline, she came up with "Release, Random Reflection Girl." I then incorporated that into the "YUGE" collection, and it all came together when "City Light Serenade" became the final track on her album. I think it's a rather novel form of collaboration.

—Indeed, fashion and music are close, but this level of integration is quite rare.

We share a similar background in our formative years. We're both from Tokyo. Her father, Hidefumi Toki, is a renowned saxophonist, and my mother was a fashion designer. Now, we're both pursuing careers inherited from our parents. Our childhood experiences, how we perceived things then, and how we create now based on the afterimages of those experiences—our creative processes are quite similar.

—What specifically has influenced you, Yuge-san?

Since I was in elementary school, I've been drawn to bright and refreshing things, both in music and visuals. Back then, I was listening to Tatsuro Yamashita's album "FOR YOU," Eiichi Ohtaki, and The Beach Boys. Asako feels the same. Well, she's incredibly lucky to have seen her father, who played sax for Tatsuro Yamashita, perform live (laughs).


—I recall reading an article where you mentioned wanting to become Ralph Lauren.

I still do (laughs). His ability to create a world where everything he touches becomes 'Ralph' is amazing. Of course, I love clothes, but I'm more interested in his entire lifestyle, the cultural aspects surrounding it. I'm always thinking about how I can create something holistic.

—Do you envision "YUGE" evolving into a lifestyle brand in the future?

I want to design everything that can be seen. Beyond the new relationship between music and fashion, I aspire to create a new form of entertainment that incorporates theatrical elements, something distinct from musicals. I'm exploring the possibility of creating something that can serve as a platform for fashion, music, and theater. It's challenging, of course.

I Chose Fashion Design to Stay Involved with Music

—Your mother is a designer, so did you always want to be a designer?

Not at all. I was in a band from middle school and wanted to be a musician. But I realized it wouldn't be a sustainable career. Thinking about professions where I could still engage with music, I thought fashion might be a viable path. My mother was a designer, so I decided to help her out a bit.
So, while assisting my mother at her studio, I started making stage costumes. I made a ridiculous number of jumpsuits for Denki Network (laughs).

—What prompted you to launch "YUGE" at the age of 26?

Even with someone I'd just met, I could tell their size perfectly just by looking at them. So, I'd draft shirt patterns, sew them, and sell them for 10,000 yen (laughs). Since I was living at home, making about 15 shirts a month was enough to get by (laughs). This went on for about four years, but then I thought I wanted to earn more. When I launched the brand, a major select shop happened to pick it up, and sales have been consistently strong for the past decade. Having my mother as a designer was also a great advantage; I consider myself lucky.



YUGE (Sankiem Visage)
Tel. 03-5738-2045