Ryunosuke Okazaki

Ryunosuke’s clothes stand out for their bold futuristic and architectural design. Commanding geometric shapes protrude from the body in all directions and surrealist ruffles swathe models from head to toe. The designer graduated this year with an MFA in design from Tokyo University of the Arts, where he gained acclaim as the first prize winner at the Graduation Exhibition. His graduate collection, JomonJomon, took inspiration from Jomon-era pottery, where vessels were imprinted with elaborate designs using rope, making them more decorative than functional. The people of the Jomon era channelled their wishes and prayers into these creations. They saw God in nature at the same time as fearing the sublime threat posed by natural disasters, knowing ultimately that the whims of nature were beyond their control.

The pandemic that has ravaged the world for almost two years now has been a stark reminder that we are still at the mercy of nature, no matter how socially and technologically advanced we become. It’s easy to feel powerless in these circumstances. To counteract this feeling, Ryunosuke turns to prayer. For thousands of years, cultures around the world have used prayer to find hope in the bleakest times. While prayer alone may not be as effective in creating real change as education and activism, having faith in the possibility for a better world is essential to find the motivation to push for peace, justice and equality.

Ryunosoke’s latest collection, Pray, shown at Tokyo Fashion Week in September, showcased his signature otherworldly sculptural dresses while centring these ideas. Drawing from Shintoism and his own spiritual relationship with nature, the custom pieces focus on the importance of coexisting with and respecting the natural world. As in the Jomon era, we are approaching a time of increasingly violent natural phenomena if we don’t do what it takes to slow the pace of climate change. In response, Ryunosuke feels like sustainable design is his responsibility as a human being in the natural world. His approach is the opposite of mass production, with garments more like works of art, principally custom made for film and editorials.

The clothes themselves bring to mind the supernatural and phantasmagorical, and the inspirations exist in a similarly spiritual world. However, Ryunosuke’s work is also rooted in the very real impact of the atomic bombs dropped on Japan at the end of the Second World War. One of his earliest pieces, Wearing Prayer, was crafted from paper cranes. It references the Japanese peace symbol and tragic story of Sadako Sasaki, who died in 1955 aged 12 from radiation-related leukaemia, or ‘atomic bomb disease’ as it was called at the time. Sadako survived the blast with no apparent injuries, but, nine years later, she fell ill.

There is a legend in Japan that states if someone who is unwell folds one thousand origami cranes, then they will be granted a wish and be healed. Sadako set about this task two months before her death, using whatever scraps she could get hold of in the hospital. While she managed to exceed her goal, folding 1,300 cranes, she passed away in October 1955. Today, the act of folding a crane is a symbol of an international peace movement. There is a statue of Sadako in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. The plaque below it reads, “This is our cry. This is our prayer. Peace in the world.”

The cranes symbolise the world’s prayers for peace, emphasising the meditative state that physical creation can provoke. This idea is at the heart of Ryunosuke’s work. Prayer is very much a part of his process as he believes that the act of creating itself is also an act of prayer. Working on intricate, architectural dresses, which he makes with his hands, gives him time to reflect and feel deeply connected to each piece. The creative process could be described as a kind of meditation.

While Eastern practices like meditation, yoga and manifestation have permeated Western culture over decades, they experienced a surge in popularity over lockdown. For some, the pandemic has been a chance to step back from the busy pace of everyday life. For those of us working from home it allows us more time to embed these spiritual practices into our routines and they can be useful in helping us accept circumstances outside of our control.

Ryunosuke’s spirituality is related to Shinto, the Japanese religion that he grew up with. Shintoism finds God in the existence of nature as opposed to Western monotheistic religion where prayer is directed to a singular God who is an otherworldly being. Whether related to a specific religion or not, the beauty of nature can inspire feelings of awe as though we are part of something greater. Humans are also a part of nature, which is something Ryunosuke is keen to remind us with his work, creating structures that go beyond the body in shapes that ref lect the randomness of the natural world.

As well as mining Japan’s history for inspiration, Ryunosuke is joining an established tradition of Japanese avant-garde fashion. Tokyo is known for its striking anti-fashion movement spearheaded by industry heavyweights like Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto, who shocked the fashion establishment in the ‘80s with clothes that challenge preconceived notions of beauty and taste. These aren’t clothes you wear day to day in the street. This beauty isn’t conventional or demure, but striking and memorable and daring to explore conceptual ideas. Once seen, it’s hard to look away.

Both beauty and prayer are about having faith in something bigger. They can be born out of pain and adversity but prove that negative events don’t mean giving up on believing in a better world. This is the thread that runs through Ryunosuke’s work – an important reminder as we hesitantly emerge from the pandemic over the months and years to come.