Dialogue with Hiroko Murayama
Handicraft and nature
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make fashion
Hiroko Murayama would have liked to learn urushi, the precious art of Japanese lacquer. Then she felt she was more charmed by the light colors of sun. So she chose to come to Italy to learn textile 
art and she became a fashion designer. Her style is elegant and sober, it is never out of line or provocative. Hiroko decided to live and work in Italy because of its bright colors and the good character of Italian people. Moreover Moschino is her preferred fashion designer, because he was not only “stylist” but also “fashion maker”. Hiroko states «the difference between “stylist” i.e. “artist” and “fashion maker” is in the recipient of textile product. For example most of contemporary artists are very egocentric and they paint or carve provocative works only to make people discuss about them. Fashion designers instead have to care about people who will buy their clothes, they have to care about customers’ feelings, needs and tempers». Hiroko knows well the kind of woman who will appreciate her dresses. She smiles and says «My dresses suit spontaneous and sunny women not “dark ladies”». Hiroko’s dresses are refined but simple, their colors are bright but not glaring, they make women put on the water freshness. The “refined sempliciy” of her dresses shows us the Japanese soul of her weaver hand. 
We ask Hiroko about the importance of Japanese tradition in her dresses. She replies «Even if my models are all Western, I am Japanese and it is normal that in my dresses there is my Asian cultural heritage. It is never exposed but it is stricly tied to woof». About the world-famous Japanese fashion makers she says «Japanese fashion has become world-famous thanks to fashion designers like Rei Kawakubo, Yohji Yamamoto, Issey Miyake, Kenzo. Their style is very Japanese and this is the secret of their big success. I appreciate them very much but I have liked to look at different models. I also have liked to find my own creativity road, a more individual and difficult road. When a fashion consultant asked me if my style looked like Yamamoto or Dolce&Gabbana style, I replied my style just looked like me». And what does Hiroko think about Japanese traditional clothing? «In Western countries like Europe and US clothing has had a long tradition. Every
century and every decade had its own clothing style. Japan is different. Few changes happened in Japanese cultural history and in Japanese clothing style too. For example kimono had its achievement in Edo period (1603 – 1868) and its style changed only a little till now. Few years ago kimono design was renewed and “new kimono” was born. But I prefer pure tradition».
Hiroko prefers to get inspired by nature and daily life. Natural semplicity of Hiroko Murayama dresses is the same of her secret dream: she would like to tell her grandchildren about her own adventure as stylist between East and West.
art and she became a fashion designer. Her style is elegant and sober, it is never out of line or provocative. Hiroko decided to live and work in Italy because of its bright colors and the good character of Italian people. Moreover Moschino is her preferred fashion designer, because he was not only “stylist” but also “fashion maker”. Hiroko states «the difference between “stylist” i.e. “artist” and “fashion maker” is in the recipient of textile product. For example most of contemporary artists are very egocentric and they paint or carve provocative works only to make people discuss about them. Fashion designers instead have to care about people who will buy their clothes, they have to care about customers’ feelings, needs and tempers». Hiroko knows well the kind of woman who will appreciate her dresses. She smiles and says «My dresses suit spontaneous and sunny women not “dark ladies”». Hiroko’s dresses are refined but simple, their colors are bright but not glaring, they make women put on the water freshness. The “refined sempliciy” of her dresses shows us the Japanese soul of her weaver hand. 
We ask Hiroko about the importance of Japanese tradition in her dresses. She replies «Even if my models are all Western, I am Japanese and it is normal that in my dresses there is my Asian cultural heritage. It is never exposed but it is stricly tied to woof». About the world-famous Japanese fashion makers she says «Japanese fashion has become world-famous thanks to fashion designers like Rei Kawakubo, Yohji Yamamoto, Issey Miyake, Kenzo. Their style is very Japanese and this is the secret of their big success. I appreciate them very much but I have liked to look at different models. I also have liked to find my own creativity road, a more individual and difficult road. When a fashion consultant asked me if my style looked like Yamamoto or Dolce&Gabbana style, I replied my style just looked like me». And what does Hiroko think about Japanese traditional clothing? «In Western countries like Europe and US clothing has had a long tradition. Every
century and every decade had its own clothing style. Japan is different. Few changes happened in Japanese cultural history and in Japanese clothing style too. For example kimono had its achievement in Edo period (1603 – 1868) and its style changed only a little till now. Few years ago kimono design was renewed and “new kimono” was born. But I prefer pure tradition».Hiroko prefers to get inspired by nature and daily life. Natural semplicity of Hiroko Murayama dresses is the same of her secret dream: she would like to tell her grandchildren about her own adventure as stylist between East and West.
(Images courtesy of Hiroko Murayama,
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