Interview

11 years since setting up on his own, and four years since launching the Mina Perhonen brand, Akira Minagawa’s distinctive creations are intimately linked to the textiles that he develops. Rather than being sweet or radical, they are special clothes that can be incorporated into everyday life. He brings a story to textiles at the site of production both inside and outside of Japan. Minagawa’s opinion is a real voice that knows the actual spot.

The globalization of textiles is proceeding apace. What is the state of textile producing regions in Japan?
Now, Japan’s textile producing regions have fallen into a state of crisis. They are still world leaders in fabric development, but when taking into account cost performance, their competitiveness is in decline. Even if you have amazing textiles, the fact is that technological expertise isn’t enough to give you a competitive edge. If you look at the entire process from fiber to finished product, the distribution channels are very convoluted. However, at the moment people in the business are very forward thinking and there are textile directors in place so a new quickening is taking place.

It would appear that Japan’s apparel businesses and retailers don’t understand the predicament of the nation’s textile industry.
In Japan, the problem of the textile producing regions themselves is often brought up, but I think it is important to consider the fashion industry as a whole. It’s the apparel firms who order the textiles, if it is necessary to change the system, each element needs to be dealt with. But the wheels are in motion in the textile producing areas and in the fashion business. If everybody in the business can be cognizant of the situation that would be best.

The number of designers working with domestic textile companies seems to be on the increase. What do you think is the best way for them to make business connections?
If homegrown designers were more proactive, I think it would have a positive knock-on effect for their business. From the place where creations are born, to the textile producing regions, if connections can be made in the domestic market, the volume of transactions would increase. For designers who show their collections overseas, too, collaborating with domestic fabric producers offers similar benefits. Also, at the moment Japan Fashion Week is composed almost entirely of homegrown brands, but by examining the timeframe in which it is held, I think there is a route to making it a more international event. Raising the standards of domestic brands is a shortcut to bringing buyers from overseas to Tokyo. That would have a knock on effect on the fashion business, and by default the fabric producing regions, too.

minä perhonen（Akira Minagawa）
Minagawa established the brand mina in 1995, which was rechristened mina perhonen in 2003. The label is best known for collections created from textiles created by the hand of its esteemed designer. Besides energetically taking on the development of new textiles and fabric-related manufacturing techniques, Minagawa undertakes collaborations and design consulting work with overseas furniture makers and textiles firms as well as designing costumes for high profile dance productions. He was the recipient of the 2006 Mainichi Fashion Grand Prix.