Atsushi Nakashima
We sat down with avant garde designer Atsushi Nakashima to speak about his upcoming fashion line. Nakashima has an extensive history in the fashion world and is ready to leave his mark on US fashion. He worked as Jean Paul Gaultiers assistant and had a major role in desiging a number of JPG's iconic bags. He was Diffusions head desiginer for seven years and now he has set out to bring his edgy designs to runways near you. We love the fact that his pieces are unconventional and fashion-forward but havent crossed the line into Lady Gaga meat territory. Below are outfits from his debut collection which is scheduled to be released this October.
E: What was the first article of clothing you ever designed?
AN: Jeans and pants
E: Who is one of your all time favorite designers?
AN: Jean Paul Gaultier
E: Whats your favorite material to use right now?
AN: If I had to pick a material I enjoy using recently it would be materials with a shiny, glossy look. I also like to include lots of seams in my work.
E: We see your debut collection is all female. Is a mens collection something you see in your future?
AN: Yes, definitely. For my first US collection I wanted to focus on creating a really strong female line.
E: What is the biggest difference you see between Japanese and US fashion?
AN: Japanese fashion tends to have more of a fluidity and consist of long designs using one piece of material, while European fashion tend to be made up of multiple pieces.
E: Whats your inspiration?
AN: I love to draw. Before I started designing I drew and my drawings are a major source for my collections. I get a lot of inspiration from the natural world. I try to transfer something I see in real life into a clothing design. I like to make pieces look as natural as possible.
See more of Atsushi Nakashimas debut collection here
