FIRST STEPS IN JAPAN

When I’m asked what made me love Japan, I think back to a few episodes from my childhood. The Japanese restaurant my mother had set up in the 90s, which wasn’t a success because at the time nobody ate raw fish in France. I also remember a slide show of a National Geographic docu- mentary about Japan that my grandmother took me to see with her, a Japanese film festival in my hometown of Rennes, or the obi belt and sumi ink my mother brought me from Kyoto when she went there to promote the family hotel and restaurant.

All this had never triggered any particular love for Japan, but life continued to give me links with this country, particularly when I met the father of a very dear friend of mine, when we were stu- dents at the Ecole des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. He was Japanese and had spent his entire career working for Hermès, creating the company’s Japanese subsidiary. When he decided to leave the French company to put his expertise at the service of Japanese craftsmen, Mineaki Saito needed a designer for a first project on Kyoto textiles and suggested I accompany him. I didn’t hesitate and went to Japan to work on my first project in Kyoto and KyoTango. 6 months after, I launched my own design studio after working several years as a designer at the interior textile company, Pierre Frey in Paris.

During my first projects in Japan, I discovered a deep source of inspiration in the rich and complex world of Japanese craftsmanship. This love was confirmed as I travelled back and forth to Kyoto for 3 years, almost 4 times a year, to work with the artisans. After 3 years, with the desire to leave Paris, the idea of moving to Japan germinated in my head thanks to my friend Ayako and I set off to settle and open a design studio in Kyoto in 2019, 5 years ago now.

IN CHARLOTTE PERRIAND ‘S FOOTSTEPS

Like many creative people, Japan’s rich cultural and artistic heritage quickly fascinated me.

Its mysterious beauty, minimalist style, attention to detail, importance of gesture and respect for materials have influenced many artists and designers, such as Charlotte Perriand in France in the 40s. When I discovered that she had traveled and worked in Japan, I became even more inte- rested in her work, and particularly in what she had done with the craftsmen of Yamagata. This pioneer of modern design spent a significant amount of time in Japan working with craftsmen, integrating her system of thought, her eye, her vision with traditional Japanese techniques.

This resonated deeply with me. Her work shows that by bringing together tradition and moder- nity, Western and Eastern vision, beauty and utility, we can create new aesthetics, meaningful artifacts, sustainable and relevant to our modern lives. It is this idea that has inspired my own path. As a French designer, artist and creative director, when I moved to Japan, with naivety but also humility and passion, I thought I could bring a fresh perspective, a point of view that blends European sensibilities with Japanese traditions, to breathe new life into this age-old craft.

4 years ago, during COVID, I undertook a personal trip to northern Japan to meet Masanori, a rice straw weaver and Yamabushi monk I had met a few months before in Tokyo at a craft fair. His life in the mountains consisted of picking sansai (wild mountain vegetables) and weaving sandals from rice straw and bearskin. Masanori took me to places deeply connected to Japan’s craft he- ritage, and especially to the small Snow Museum in Tsuruoka, Yamagata Prefecture, which was showing the results of Perriand’s collaborations with local artisans.

This experience crystallized my vision: it was possible and it made sense that a french person could bring something significant to the world of Japanese craftsmanship, by creating new pro- ducts rooted in the local territory, using traditional techniques and know-how but adding new ideas by looking at things from my European designer eye.

JAPAN HAS KEPT ITS KNOW-HOWS, WAITING TO BE REDISCOVERED

Japan, unlike many other countries, has been able to preserve lots of its traditional skills thanks to government support. Unfortunately, this has not always been matched by an intention to in- novate. Japanese craftsmanship, though revered the world over, has been going through difficult times. Many of the country’s most skilled craftsmen are aging, and their knowledge is not always passed on to the next generation. Globalization, industrialization and changing consumer habits have shifted the demand for handmade goods, making it more difficult for artisans to stay in business. However, these skills are still alive, waiting to be rediscovered and adapted to create products suited to our contemporary lives and desires.

Today, to preserve these skills, we need to infuse new ideas, challenge the traditional techniques to revitalize them, to appeal to the younger generation of consumers and makers.

This is where I believe designers have a role to play. We have a responsibility to challenge these crafts and adapt them to modern tastes and functions, creating pieces that not only honor tradi- tion, but also fit into contemporary lifestyles.

ATTRACTING THE YOUNG GENERATION IN A DIGITALIZED SOCIETY

To maintain know-hows alive, we need to appeal not only to the new generation of buyers, but also to the new generation of “makers”. Fewer and fewer young people are choosing a career in traditional craftsmanship, and skills are in danger of disappearing. Trades are disappearing too. Working closely with Japanese craftsmen, I was able to witness the depth of their culture, the breadth of knowledge passed down from generation to generation, their passion and the beauty of their work. For me, at a time when mass production dominates, when computers do more and more things by themselves, the value of craftsmanship is all the greater.

For me, digital technology and artificial intelligence tools are not obstacles to the development of craftsmanship, but rather a very useful tool that we shouldn’t be afraid to use for tomorrow’s crea- tions. It’s not about replacing the old with the new; it’s about finding a way for the two to coexist and evolve together. The key to revitalizing these traditions lies in innovation. It’s not enough to preserve traditional techniques as they are; they need to be adapted to suit modern lifestyles. Designers like me have the opportunity to collaborate with artisans, not only to create beauti- ful objects, but also to help these traditions evolve. We can work together to ensure that these skills continue to be valued and relevant in a rapidly changing world. One of the key lessons I’ve learned from my work is that innovation is often born of a deep understanding of tradition. Ja- panese culture places great importance on heritage, and it is this respect for the past that enables thoughtful evolution. When collaborating with artisans, I am constantly reminded of how the past informs the present and how, in turn, the present can shape the future. The materials, techniques and histories embedded in Japanese craftsmanship offer countless possibilities for reinterpreta- tion. It’s about understanding that tradition doesn’t have to be static. The past can inspire the future, and in Japan, this connection between history and innovation is particularly powerful. The country has always managed to preserve its cultural roots while embracing progress. It’s this ba- lance that continues to make Japanese craftsmanship an inexhaustible source of inspiration for new ideas. My aim as a designer is to help preserve these skills by making them relevant again. By working with artisans to create products that appeal to both local and international markets, I hope to show that traditional craftsmanship has a place in modern life.

THE CHALLENGE OF BEING AN INDEPENDENT FRENCH DESIGNER IN JAPAN

I set up my design studio in Japan, shipping over about 10 boxes of working tools, a desktop computer and some books from Paris to Osaka’s harbour. Of course, I never thought about the option of a global pandemic that could happen and affect my life in Japan.

I never really thought about the risk of losing my clients, finding myself alone without a job...

I didn’t follow a life partner, I wasn’t sent by a company that employed me, I wasn’t part of any artistic residency... Living and working in Japan is an extraordinary experience, but it also comes with its share of challenges. As an independent designer, the path to building a network, gaining trust and establishing legitimacy can be daunting. In Japan, relationships are built slowly, and trust has to be earned over time.

This requires patience and perseverance, especially when working in a field as respected as tra- ditional craftsmanship, where history and reputation play a central role. The COVID crisis didn’t help, but it did give me time to approach Japanese culture in an unusual way. Being a foreigner in this world adds an extra layer of complexity. Despite my deep respect for Japanese culture and craftsmanship, I remain an outsider. It has taken me some time to prove my commitment and demonstrate that I’m not here to take things over, but to collaborate, to learn and perhaps to contribute something meaningful. The process of finding artisans willing to work with me and understanding the intricacies of the craft industry is a challenge, but one that I approach with “se- rendipity”, letting time and the chance of happy and meaningful encounters do much of the work. Not only Japan’s rich cultural heritage and unrivalled craftsmanship continue to inspire me every day but also details in the day to day life, small things like how electic wires draw lines in the sky, the geometric arrangements of wooden doors and window panels, random combinations of co- lors in the street, different textures of a dish, shades of momojis (maple leaves) fluttering in the wind on a wall ... All this rich ressources for my inspiration fuel my desire to continue to live here despite the difficulties in a foreigner’s life when living in Japan.

CONCLUSION

As a french designer in Kyoto, I face the challenges of being a foreign independant professional, but I keep being convinced that by collaborating with Japanese artisans and bridging the gap between past and present, East and West, tradition and innovation, we can create a future where craftsmanship not only survives, but thrives.

Throughout my work, I’ve realized that the past is not something to be left behind, but something to be embraced and built upon. My trips in Japan, my encounters with other passionate creative minds and my growing connections with Japanese artisans have shown me how the history and heritage of craftsmanship can inform and inspire the future. Japanese culture is imbued with a deep respect for tradition, but it is also a culture in constant evolution. This delicate balance between preservation and innovation is what makes Japan an incredible source of inspiration for new ideas. The Yamabushi monk I traveled with in Tsuruoka is a perfect example of this balance. His daily life is rooted in ancient practices - gathering wild vegetables and weaving straw sandals. Yet his knowledge of contemporary design and understanding of Charlotte Perriand’s work in Ja- pan revealed the timelessness of these traditions. It was a reminder that the most significant inno- vations come from those who understand and deeply respect the past. My journey as a designer in Japan is about finding ways to fuse tradition and modernity, just as Charlotte Perriand once did. By collaborating with Japanese artisans, I seek to create designs that honor the craftsmanship of the past while making them relevant to today’s world.

The challenges are many, from the need to earn trust, to adapting ancestral techniques for a mo- dern market, but the potential is immense. Japan’s rich cultural heritage offers an inexhaustible source of inspiration, and I’m committed to do my humble little part of the job and hopefully help a little these timeless crafts thrive in the future.