[2025.01.28] SO-EN March 2025 issue

[yuzurujenn]

SO-EN March 2025 Issue

 

Cover Special feature on Hanyu
Yuzuru Costumes and individuality- A special outfit

◆ Hanyu Yuzuru's "Echoes of Life" costumes, the revolutionary backstage

 

Info: 

https://soen.tokyo/fashion/news/soen20250122/

https://x.com/fashionjp/status/1881975169306284315

https://www.amazon.co.jp/装苑-2015年-3月号-雑誌/dp/B00S8IETBC/

 

 

 

Summary:

The March issue of Soen features the popular "Costume" project! We will focus on various costume creations from around the world, from fashion, entertainment, sports, and characters, and introduce the appeal of costumes, including the people who make them and the people who wear them, along with each work.

 

The cover and opening page of the magazine features world-renowned figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu. The magazine features beautiful costume photos from his solo tour "Echoes of Life" and behind-the-scenes comments from the artist himself! In addition, artist Aina the End has teamed up with a trusted costume stylist for a project, and girl group Cho Tokimeki♡Sendenbu has photographed costumes that are dear to the members' hearts. And in NEWS' Masuda Takahisa's series "MFBB," all of the costumes from "NEWS LIVE TOUR 2024 JAPANEWS" are introduced with commentary from Masuda!

 

In addition, there is a special feature packed with costume designs from fashion designers, popular creators, and up-and-coming artists! Looking at fashion and entertainment from the perspective of costumes should add even more fun to your life.

 

Yuzuru Hanyu's "Echoes of Life" costumes, innovative backstage

This 10-page feature covers the costumes for Yuzuru Hanyu's solo tour show "Echoes of Life," which will run from December 7, 2024 to February 9, 2025. It features interviews and design drawings by Takeshi Takahashi, who designed Nova's iconic costumes, Satomi Ito, who has been in charge of Hanyu's costumes for 10 years and has shaped his worldview, and Toshihiko Sakurai, who designed the four costumes for this show. In addition, the words of Hanyu himself and director MIKIKO will reveal the "costumes," which are one of the important elements that make up the world of this show and are full of innovative secrets.

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

 

Source: https://weibo.com/6473801248/PbO9tclzt

 

MIKIKO'S INTERVIEW

 

 

"The role of clothing is extremely important. It’s no exaggeration to say that it can determine the success or failure of a live performance. Of course, clothing can make a performance look more beautiful, but whether the performer can move comfortably can also affect their mental state. So, clothing plays a very sensitive and important role.

 

Nova is named ‘VGH-257,’ which means 'a created being.' When designing the costume, we wanted it to embody a sense of uniformity, futurism, and a powerful life force that could survive in this world. With that idea in mind, we proceeded with the design commission. When expressing a futuristic feel, I gave the instruction to be careful not to make it look like a cosplay costume.

 

Additionally, since Hanyu's transition to a new career, he has appeared more often in fashion magazines. In these magazines, he wears high-end brand clothes and strikes various poses that look very beautiful. I thought to myself that if we could incorporate similar cuts and silhouettes into his performance costumes, it would definitely give a refreshing impression. So, I suggested this idea. This time, we realized that when Hanyu wears slightly oversized clothes, his physique and presence stand out even more. Moreover, because he has worn many different styles of clothing before, his ability to handle costumes in performances is outstanding. He can understand how to manipulate the fabric in just a few seconds, making the clothing stand out and enhancing the beauty of his skating movements. This truly surprised me."

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

 

Source: https://weibo.com/6473801248/PbFzIlJND

 

SATOMI ITO'S INTERVIEW

 

 

About 'First Echo and Circulation':

 

"Hanyu has always viewed costumes as part of his expression since his competitive days, with a strong dedication to both design and functionality. Although the costume may appear separate, in reality, it is one cohesive piece. This is a crucial design point. The colors are always chosen by Hanyu himself, and this time, the design was drawn based on the color he originally proposed and the concept of the program. The costume for First Echo mainly features white as the base color, with accents of yellow-green. Inspired by the image of something just emerging from a cocoon, I used a design wrapped in organza. The side of the pants is adorned with rhinestones to create a vine pattern, and it connects to the light, yellow-green, stretchy material of the top, integrating the image of vines stretching and flowers blooming into the whole outfit."

 

 

About Aqua's Journey:

 

The design of Aqua's Journey seems to condense the elements of the costumes Ms. Ito designed for Yuzuru Hanyu, which is quite impressive.

 

"I was told that the program has an image of water splashes, so I decorated the elastic mesh with organza resembling the shape of a water surface. I also used long sequins and rhinestone hand-embroidered lines. Although the design is very much in Hanyu's style, organza doesn’t have elasticity and tends to fall off, so it cannot be used for competition costumes; it’s a material unique to ice performances. Both costumes come with custom thumb gloves made specifically for Hanyu. For the gloves of Aqua's Journey, as per Hanyu’s request, only the fingertips of the right hand were made in yellow-green. You can feel his desire to transmit a bright image right through his fingertips."

 

"A costume only truly becomes valuable when it becomes one with the wearer. No matter how extravagant the design or how dazzling the decorations, Hanyu is able to perfectly control the costume with his technical ability and unique style, never allowing the costume to overshadow him. During the process of making his costumes, I felt a unique joy—creating costumes that only Hanyu could truly bring to life. From his time as a competitive athlete, he has shown extraordinary creativity, and now in his post-competitive career with the ICE STORY series, I feel that he is fully expressing his worldview, including through his costumes. Hanyu looks even more radiant now."

 

Spoiler

 

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

 

Source: https://weibo.com/6473801248/PbGYryD2o

 

TAKAHASHI TSUYOSHI'S INTERVIEW 

 

Takahashi Tsuyoshi, a costume designer who has worked across various fields such as music, film, and animation, designed the costume symbolizing the protagonist NOVA. This costume appears in the main visual, video segments, as well as at the beginning and end of the ice story. The keyword Takahashi repeatedly mentioned was "near-futuristic."

 

Spoiler

"During the discussion based on the concept art, I came to understand the theme of the performance: 'What is life?' 'What is life and death?' I also learned about the background of the protagonist NOVA. NOVA seems like a wanderer who embarks on a journey to explore the meaning of their own existence. Though there’s no clear set time period, it is likely set in the near future. So, I decided to deeply explore this aspect in the costume design. The outfit consists of a short, collarless jacket, a long vest with pleats, a high-neck inner piece resembling a bodysuit, and wide-legged tapered pants. To embody the futuristic look, I considered incorporating more straight lines and constructing the design using 'flat, geometric shapes' as much as possible. The back of the jacket is largely hollowed out to expose the vest with a printed pattern. This is because if pleats were added to the jacket to ensure ease of movement, the fabric would become too soft and loses its straight-line structure. The front of the vest is left open and is secured with hooks at the V-shaped front, to accentuate the edges. The pleats are also designed with sharp, clean edges. By highlighting the corners of the garment, I wanted to express a sense of tension and a near-futuristic feel."

 

His pursuit of this concept is also reflected in his choice of materials.

 

"The jacket and pants are made from a matte polyester fiber, while the vest uses a glossy, thin synthetic fabric, and the spliced parts are made with satin. Even with the same black color, I wanted to create a contrast in depth and shine. Not using cotton fabric was an underlying theme for me. If the setting is 100 years later, the way clothes are made might have changed, and cotton might no longer be used as a fabric. As for the zipper on the jacket sleeves, I decided from the start to use 'Excella' (a zipper brand) which has a strong reflective effect."

 

This was the first time Takahashi designed a costume for Yuzuru Hanyu, and when he saw Hanyu performing on the ice while trying on the outfit, he said he was "deeply fascinated."

 

"When Hanyu stood on the ice, he completely transformed into NOVA. His posture was just so cool... This was the fastest I've ever seen a wearer move in a costume I've made. The pants with side openings and decorative buttons were designed to catch the wind while gliding, but the actual speed far exceeded my expectations, which really amazed me. I was deeply moved and learned a lot. As an athlete, I certainly have great respect for Hanyu, and the fact that he can express the Ghost in the Shell soundtrack through figure skating is incredible. To collaborate with someone as creative as him is a true honor. In short, I’ve become his fan."

 

Design Notes on the Drawing:

• Top left: Leather strap, repression and liberation
• Middle left: Tapered pants with side openings
• Bottom left: Pants that change their silhouette when blown by the wind, embodying a sense of life
• Top right: Maybe add a decoration on the chin? To express incompleteness
• Middle right: Asymmetrical jacket, constructed with straight lines for a futuristic look
• Bottom right: Stiff pleats in the skirt, obviously to show movement while conveying the message of "standing firm even in a strong wind."

 

 

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

 

Source: https://weibo.com/6473801248/PbE0SmcCA

 

TOSHIHIKO SAKURAI'S INTERVIEW 

 

About Mass Destruction:

 

Spoiler

The costume no. 16, which appears to be a basic white shirt and pants, actually hides some clever design elements.

"Under the armpits of the shirt, I added large pleats to allow for easier arm movement. In the elastic pants, I also included large diamond-shaped pleats that allow for a full 180-degree split. The seemingly ordinary polyester and wool georgette skirt is actually a dress. To prevent snags, I added piping to the pleats at the skirt's box pleats. The short-cut shirt, pointed collar, and volume of the sleeves were all designed with balance in mind, especially from the perspective of an audience member watching from the stands."

 

 

 

About blue/eclipse:

 

Spoiler

The light blue set was finalized after multiple discussions over the styles and color schemes.

"I discussed with MIKIKO-sensei and thought about what kind of costume could stay true to the character of Nova. We talked about how (Yuzu) had never tried wide-legged pants before, so I decided to take on the challenge and explore the right width for the pants, ultimately creating a fitted, tapered wide-leg design. To ensure the costume wouldn't lose its shape during movement, we secured the shirt, jacket, and pants together with snaps. However, to avoid the costume looking too tight or unnatural, I used ties around the waist area of the shirt and jacket for adjustment, and added some elasticity. Additionally, a seam was added from the back of the jacket to the waist to create a soft effect, with hand-stitched piping. This isn't a typical A-line jacket; instead, the design flares out below the waist, leaving space at the front. This was also done with the consideration that the back wouldn't puff up when exposed to wind."

 

 

About Utai:

 

Spoiler

What kind of costume could make the performance on ice more beautiful and captivating? The exploration for the golden-colored costume took the longest time.

"Hanyu and MIKIKO-sensei both wanted the costume to resemble wings when the arms were spread wide. I designed it based on the image provided by MIKIKO-sensei of a ‘ceremonial and mysterious’ feeling. The initial version of the costume had too much fabric, which didn't spread out well when skating. After many attempts and adjustments, I finally designed ventilation holes and slits at the hem of the wings-like coat to allow air to circulate. I used the lightest organza fabric for the material. Around the waist of the inner coat, I added a belt, and at the center of the back and symmetrically on both sides, I incorporated a framework to tighten the back and waist, keeping the upper body stable. As long as the wearer grips the support on either side, the wings can fully expand to a full 360 degrees. We also inserted magnets around the waist, so when the arms are released, the fabric naturally falls and fixes in place. Following MIKIKO-sensei's suggestion, we designed the outline of the jumpsuit into a flared shape so that the fabric would gracefully unfold when spinning, which worked very well.

Creating a beautiful yet practical costume under such powerful wind speeds and pressure is quite different from designing costumes for dance. Our entire studio tried various methods and poured all our efforts into it. Hanyu quickly mastered the costume during the brief fitting time and, while caring for all the staff involved, also delivered a performance that deeply moved everyone. He is truly an incredible person... Actually, we had considered adding fabric flower decorations to the golden costume, but in the end, we only kept the embroidery on the chest, which resulted in a simple design. Looking back, the key to this costume was its ‘ease of movement’ and ‘dynamic proportion.’ The goal of the costume is to maximize Hanyu's charm on the ice. If it helped enhance the world of the performance, then that would be the ultimate success."

"The embroidery on the chest is very attractive, and there is a similar pattern on the back. It is sewn with the image of "omamori" to encourage Nova who is beginning to explore what "I" is. (

 

The embroidery on the chest is striking, and the same design appears on the back. It is designed with the image of an "omamori*" to encourage Nova who is beginning to explore what "I" is. (*protective embroidery traditionally sewn on the back of a newborn's garment by parents to bless the child)