From TLF to Lineapelle the landing point is lane A, Hall 9. Here you can find out how two young Japanese designers interpreted the future of accessories and leather. They are the winners of the 2019 Leather Design Competition. The competition is now a must in Japan, and stems from the collaboration between Lineapelle and Tokyo Leather Fair. About 160 projects competed during the last edition. The ones you can evaluate in person at Lineapelle 98 are the two who won. We tell you through their words the meaning of their product idea.
First prize
The first prize goes to the amazing Trunk Suit created by Kenta Konishi. “I took inspiration from an idea that is often seen in science fiction films set in the near future. In other words: an object that transforms itself into something else”. Kenta Konishi’s project, therefore, is “based on a retro trunk. Its various parts are fastened with belts”. And here comes the twist that turns the situation upside down. “By loosening the belts, the lining comes out and turns into a wearable top”.
Second prize
The second prize goes to Keisuke Yamamoto, with the Kamui footwear project. “I designed this shoe inspired by the motifs of the old Japanese tradition. I found them in the Daiku Hinagata, design and architecture books for the construction of temples and shrines. Swirls symbolise clouds. The sharp parts of the lightning. The work on the heel shows plants’ leaves and stems”. Kamui, explains Yamamoto, means “the power of God”. The upper is a two-layer leather. The basic color is vermilion, believed to be the color that keeps evil spirits away, and that also shows “the strength of God”. Yamamoto’s project also has a particular value when considering production culture: “Precious techniques of traditional Japanese craftsmanship are disappearing due to the shortage of young workers and the decline in demand. So, if many other pieces like this, made in collaboration with the traditional artisanal technique, are known to the public, many people will learn traditional art and techniques”.
Read also:
