Noir Kei Ninomiya F/W 13.14

[runner]

Interview: Designer Kei Ninomiya from COMME des GARÇONS

Published： Jul 9, 2013, 2:53PM JST


COMME des GARÇONS launched a new woman’s brand “noir kei ninomiya” from 2013 SS. As seen in the name, the brand creates designs centered on the color “black.”

We interviewed the brand designer Kei Ninomiya (29 years old), who is the 5th designer belonging to COMME des GARÇONS.

Looking back on the days at Rei Kawakubo led COMME des GARÇONS, Mr. Ninomiya says, “Ms. Kawakubo told us pattern makers about abstract and concrete things. Doing my best, I came across surprises and discoveries every season. It was a place where I was able to create designs freely and immerse myself in making them.”

After Mr. Ninomiya graduated from Aoyama Gakuin University, he attended the Royal Academy of Fine Arts (Antwerp). Being keen about designing, he drops out to join COMME des GARÇONS in September 2008. He worked as a pattern maker for the brand for 8 seasons and in October 2012, he became the designer for the new line noir kei ninomiya. The brand name was decided with Rei Kawakubo. On the color black, Mr. Ninomya comments, “It is one of my favorite colors. It is strong and beautiful. This one color can show different expressions depending on how it is processed, what types of techniques are used and which materials are selected.”

For the first season, 18 styles were introduced. In Japan, the designs were sold solely at the Trading Museum COMME des GARÇONS in Omotesando, Tokyo. For the second season, 48 styles will be introduced. “I wanted to fuse conflicting elements of organic and inorganic matter.” His designs have both warm and cold feels such as: hand-made knit with laser cutting, knit lapped over metal ring with biological motif, knit with an embroidered logo of plants. Knits are the first challenge for Mr. Ninomiya.

“I focused on knitting. I see crows picking up wire or something on the ground to build their nests. Like them, I thought I might make knits using odds and ends around me. I like to think of ideas to realize things that seem impossible.”

Blouson with geometric patterns also centers on “knitting.” “This is made with houndstooth patterns, thinking that I can knit the graphics three-dimensionally. Making the most of the graphics, I sorted out the balance between darts appropriate for clothes and houndstooth patterns.” Likewise, he created dresses and skirts using the same method.

“I am constantly pushing myself to design new things and things that I have never encountered before. I want to create items that are special and make people feel happy and excited. Kind of like treasures or jewels. I want to differentiate myself from other brands. I base my creations on what I see as being fresh. I will continue to do the best that I can.”

At COMME des GARÇONS, each designer sets the prices for the clothes and handles the branding. For this new brand, bottoms will cost around 20,000 yen to 50,000 yen, outers around 60,000 yen to 140,000 yen, shirts around 20,000 yen to 30,000 yen, and cut-and-sews around 10,000 yen.

“Prices are a part of the design process. With the cooperation from factories and business partners, these prices were realized. It is important to set the right price, because I want young people to enjoy the clothes as well. I’m not aiming to design clothes for museum exhibits, rather I want my designs to be picked up at stores, and inspire customers. I intend on maintaining the prices and quality.”

From this fall/winter, the brand will be lined up at DOVER STREET MARKET Ginza, COMME des GARÇONS Marunouchi, Kyoto and Daimaru Kobe stores. A pop-up event will be held for one week at Isetan Shinjuku starting July 10th. “I am happy to have the opportunity to have my designs sold at various stores. I am a little nervous that so many people will see my clothes. Because I joined this industry to be a part of seeing, touching, wearing and being inspired by clothes, I hope that my customers will feel the same way about my designs. I want to bring in new types of customers to COMME des GARÇONS and contribute to the company in this way.”

For the 2014 SS season, new types of clothes based in black (of course) will be in stores.

from fashion-headline



about the S/S 2013 collection, there is a bit of info in the CdG universe thread if anyone is interested

 

[runner]

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[runner]

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[runner]

popup "limited" store at isetan


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[runner]

images from fashion-headline


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[luckyme]

holy crap, its wonderful. the graphic weaving like a "crows nest" is on another level of visionary. so happy to see something that stirs the pot that's been simmering in fashion for a long time!

thank you runner for bringing this to us!!!!

 

[Koibito]

Spectacular! The blazer in post #5 and the sweater in post #3 are my favourite. I found it really ridiculous when these incredible garments cost less than overpriced simple pieces of another top brands. According to the article, the most expensive piece costs approximate $1407.

 

[softgrey]

thanks very much runner...!!!

that impossibly difficult to understand translation in the CDG Universe thread begins to make sense now!
...

very interesting...
especially about the pricing and trying to bring new, younger customers to the brand...
certainly a good motivation and one that i'm sure is what helped rei decide to give him his own brand...
a sound business move...
i like the name... it's nice...

my fave bit is the quiter stuff---
esp the woven houndstooth blouson ...
*probably the only piece i'd wear...
but it's very good...

and i do think he is succeeding in his goal to create new things...
i feel like i've seen similiar things, but his is a new variation...
for example-
the big silver rings immediately reminded me of something yohji has done---
but the embroidery is something else...
so kei has created his own version...
though, i am not crazy about the actual embroidery......
i love the idea of embroidery there, but not the actual design...

i expect improvements with the next collection though and look forward to seeing it grow and expand...
very nice start!...

runner- can you please explain what this is?
Trading Museum COMME des GARÇONS
is it just their big flagship store in Tokyo or what?
tia

 

[runner]

you are all welcome


softgrey, it's one of her conceptual stores. located near the flagship, but in a more touristic area, probably strategically.

http://gyre-omotesando.com/pdf/english_20130614.pdf


pic from gyre

 

[MulletProof]

the graphic weaving like a "crows nest" is on another level of visionary. so happy to see something that stirs the pot that's been simmering in fashion for a long time!

That's my favorite part as well and agreed on the second line... designers, known but mostly up and coming ones, rarely seem to show this level of meticulousness and expressiveness anymore... I like that it's consistent with its influence and formation, all quite evident, but it doesn't try to magnify it or sort of take center stage and make it too solemn, which is my main complaint when you see someone debuting creations.

Thanks for posting as usual, runner!

 

[Scott]

you know it's interesting that he attended antwerp because everything about this instantly spoke to me in that very classic antwerp way. i agree with you luckyme,this is this kind of balance in design and function i think we've lost....i mean this is both innovative but also highly,highly wearable.

 

[softgrey]

you are all welcome


softgrey, it's one of her conceptual stores. located near the flagship, but in a more touristic area, probably strategically.

http://gyre-omotesando.com/pdf/english_20130614.pdf


pic from gyre

i see...
most interesting...
thank you for the link and pic...

 

[MulletProof]

reviving for NPJ!

Such a nice surprise to see this today. Looking forward to a thread!

 

[Not Plain Jane]

thanks!!

here's the link from style.com

http://www.style.com/slideshows/sli...a-comme-des-garcons-fall-2015-lookbook/slides

i was nervous to start a thread because of the new copyright rules.

 

[eugenius]

^^Maybe we'll revert to the rules from the golden age of haute couture: no pictures of the collections, but we'll allow sketches instead ink:

Anyways, here's an add'l link from dazeddigital.com:

http://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/24015/1/noir-kei-ninomiya-aw15

 

[Scott]

i'm happy to see he put on a presentation this season because finally he's getting some much-deserved worldwide attention. he is really such a technical wizard....his craftsmanship is always so stunning to me. i'd put him on the level with iris in that regard.

 

[Not Plain Jane]

yeah, i enjoyed reading about the technique, i.e., no sewing and heat, etc. i also like that while the clothes are very sculptural they look extremely wearable too.

 

[squilliam]

That collection on style.com is stunning, and there are wearable pieces and they're amazing. The techniques are great. One of my favorite collections this season.