Tag: featured

In Japan, the end of the academic year is drawing closer, and our MA2 students have been working towards the completion of their theses and projects for the past months. As part of their project, our MA2 student, Abe Lee, organised a screening event for the documentary that they developed discussing the theme of non-binary fashion expression in Japan titled “Fashioning Ambiguity: Japanese Nonbinary Style.” The event was held at Black Bird Eatery, a queer-friendly space in Sasazuka, and was filled with a large crowd for the occasion.

In their documentary, Abe discusses the results of the research they have conducted over the past two years. The documentary explores the experiences and style of nonbinary and x-gender people in Japan, through interviews with various participants including the co-founder of non-binary magazine IWAKAN, Andromeda, and some leading scholars in the field.

Abe made the documentary publicly available, and it can be viewed on their homepage.

We had the pleasure of welcoming Professor Gareth Kershaw from RMIT University, who delivered a special lecture and hands-on workshop for GFC students on object-based research into occupational and functional garments, using men’s technical archetypes as a pedagogical tool.

In his talk, Professor Kershaw emphasized the growing importance of revisiting and reinterpreting occupational clothing in contemporary design—both to enhance functionality and to elevate aesthetic value.

Drawing on examples ranging from Andrew Bolton’s concept of “Supermodern” clothing to the innovative work of Massimo Osti of C.P. Company, he explained how exploring diverse design methodologies and historical approaches can broaden our perspectives as fashion designers.

During the workshop, students engaged in archive-based research—an approach Professor Kershaw has developed extensively over the years—and worked directly with the pattern of the Swiss Army M70 Alpenflage Jacket, gaining insight into the construction and logic behind technical garments.

On January 7th, Laure Julien, who did her double degree at our GFC course in 2020, visited the university to talk about her multiple professional experiences as an independent artist after her time at our course.

During her exchange at GFC, Laure decided to extend her time in Japan for one year, to intern with the brand Eatable of many orders (Atami, Japan), between 2021 and 2022, and apprentice with bamboo master Tanaka Kyokusho in 2022. While in Atami, she also participated in an artist-in-residence program that allowed her to develop and present a performance project with a butoh dancer dressed in silk and bamboo, inspired by the princess Kaguya. After her time in Japan, she returned to Paris to finish her education at ENSAD, where she developed a graduate collection of sculptures in bamboo and leather in 2023.

After graduation, she has been active as an independent artist, and participated in a residence project at Casa de Velázquez, Madrid, Spain, to study esparto weaving in 2024, and continued studying palm, bull rush, and soft rush weaving in Portugal during the same year. While participating in these apprenticeships and residence programs, she organised and participated in multiple exhibitions featuring her works in France, Spain, and Japan.

She returned to Japan in January of this year with a cultural activity visa, to participate in two artist-in-residence programs: a MIRA artist in residence program in Beppu, Kyushu, where she will be working with bamboo artist Takayuki Shimizu; and a residency at YUI-PORT in Niigata.

Her experiences provided a valuable inspiration for our current students, and showed that even with limited Japanese language skills, it is possible to participate in internships, apprenticeships and artist-in-residency programs in Japan! We wish Laure all the best of luck in her upcoming endeavors!

On April 24th, Mr. Kubo Tadashi, who is in charge of the creative department at Yohji Yamamoto, visited GFC for a lecture. He discussed concepts of cultural appropriation, and his experiences and thoughts concerning the referencing of ethnic dress in the development of one’s own collection and expressions.
Our GFC students also had the opportunity to present their portfolio and to receive some feedback on their works, a valuable experience!

Mr. Kubo has been visiting our GFC program yearly since 2015, and some of our students have been able to conduct long-term internships at the Yohji Yamamoto studio. We hope that this tradition may continue into the future!