Young artist KOTA KAWAI, who creates art pieces that "move people's hearts" with the theme of new possibilities in fashion, makes his debut at Isetan Mart! We delve into the true nature of KOTA KAWAI through a conversation with buyer Watanabe, who was captivated by the high artistic quality and message of his work.

*This item will be available for purchase in limited quantities at Isetan Mart from 10:00 AM on Wednesday, April 14, 2021. As it is a one-of-a-kind item, sales will end once it is sold out.

KOTA KAWAI's idea: "IT'S OUR MAINSTREAM!!!!"

After studying fashion, KOTA KAWAI started his unique creative activities when his desire to "create something different from others" and his awareness of social issues intersected. Amidst various sustainable initiatives, he felt that focusing on consuming and making visible surplus materials in other fields, rather than "converting clothes into clothes," would lead to social recognition and persuasiveness, which became the impetus for creating art pieces using chairs. The clothing to be worn and the chair to sit on become one, and the randomly interwoven textiles transform into a unique work that is captivating. The work contains the message "IT'S OUR MAINSTREAM!!!!" which was born from the idea that "there is a way to communicate that things do not end with clothes."

This collection is introduced through a conversation between Kota Kawai and buyer Watanabe.

In addition to three chairs made with Facetasm fabric, KOTA KAWAI created eight more chairs, including one archival piece, for a total of 11 chairs for this event. From these, buyer Watanabe picked out some pieces that caught his eye and asked KOTA KAWAI about his ideas and design inspirations.

Fashion brand Facetasm updates its products into art pieces.

Like KOTA KAWAI, the designer of FACETASM, Hiromichi Ochiai, is also a graduate of Bunka Fashion College, making FACETASM a special brand for KOTA KAWAI. This time, thanks to the arrangements made by Watanabe, who was a men's fashion buyer, FACETASM provided archive fabrics, and three art pieces were created.

Buyer Watanabe (hereinafter, Watanabe): This is the first time you've been "provided" with fabric, so what were the key points when creating the product?

KOTA KAWAI: I thought about how I could best utilize the fabric that FACETASM selected for the chair I chose. It was refreshing to have a different approach to design than usual, and it allowed me to incorporate a new element into my own creative activities. It also helped me to see the true nature of the emotional barrier I had vaguely felt towards social issues, and it became an opportunity to overcome it.

The largest of the 11 chairs, a reclining type, features hand-stitched details that evoke the image of overlapping clothing.

Watanabe: This piece is a patchwork of clothing, with details like buttons still intact, and it gives off a strong sense of purpose.

KOTA KAWAI: There are also bundles of used clothes that you can buy by the kilogram. I designed this piece by hand-sewing, imagining the clothes piled up inside one of those bundles as a chair. So the key point is that I kept a lot of the clothing elements. Even though it's a pile of used clothes, the whole thing comes together as a new, cohesive object. I would be happy if people felt that way.

A humorous and innovative style, as if you've just left your clothes lying around.

Watanabe: I often do this myself, but the clothes I took off were hanging on the chair. That was the impression I got. The way the knitwear was layered was exquisite, and the color combination was unique and nice.

KOTA KAWAI: I usually think about the colors first and then decide on the fabric texture while choosing clothes, but I thought a simple design would suit this chair, so I prioritized the fabric texture. So, when I chose colors that would highlight the fabric texture, I naturally ended up with these two colors. It certainly does look like it's hanging, just as Watanabe-san said. It might be a new discovery for me (laughs).

The aim is to create an intriguing sense of incongruity, a departure from the familiar feeling of a simple wooden chair.

KOTA KAWAI: This piece is a wooden chair with a form unrelated to textiles, but the fact that the raw wood material is not visible means that it breaks away from the familiar feeling of déjà vu we have of chairs, and I thought it would be interesting if it could create a sense of unease.

Watanabe: The idea of dressing the legs in clothes is artistic, and I thought it would be time-consuming, but it was meant to create a sense of incongruity, wasn't it? Hiding the elements of the chair. The approach is different from others, which is interesting.

This is the first stool that KOTA KAWAI has ever produced, at the request of buyer Watanabe.

Watanabe: We had this made because we thought there would be a need from customers who wanted a smaller size due to the limited space in their rooms, and it's exactly what we wanted. When I had the urge to buy one, I realized there were various conditions such as space and permission from my family, but with this stool, you can enjoy KOTA KAWAI's work even in a small space.

KOTA KAWAI: Thank you. Because of its small size, I put a lot of thought into the material changes and color distribution. I wanted to strike a balance between being too simple and too flashy, while still conveying the image of layers of vintage clothing. The reason I didn't alter the legs is that, while there are other stools with steel pipe or clothed legs, I wanted to emphasize that this stool originally had wooden legs.

Art is something that enriches the soul; what does "Isetan Mart" mean to KOTA KAWAI?

KOTA KAWAI: I think Isetan Mart is a fascinating shop. Unless you go to a museum or something, there are few opportunities to experience art, and while you may be moved by interactions with people, I think it's rare to be moved by objects. That's why I'm happy to be working with Isetan Mart, a creative shop that focuses on art, where you can enrich your heart by encountering various styles of art that move you in terms of values.

KOTA KAWAI says he'd like to try his hand at contemporary art in public spaces, such as escalator handrails or building exteriors, and he hopes to move the hearts of many people. Please look forward to what the ambitious KOTA KAWAI will do next.







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*The information in this article is current as of the publication date. Product information may be revised or changed without notice.

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