Yohji Yamamoto: Self-Talk

Yohji Yamamoto's style was once described by French electronic musician Jean-Michel Jarre as "For me, a woman in Yohji is like a nymphomaniac nun. His clothes are at once sensual and very ritualistic." This is coming from a man whose reputation labels him as a designer of clothes for serious intellectuals. This is also a man whose 1998 "wedding" show featured a bridal striptease, taking models from inflated Victorian crinolines down to slim-line dresses and pants. He is considered one of the most respected and unconventional designers of the 20th century.

In his book "Talking to Myself," Yamamoto has created an illustrated notebook that chronicles the phases of his life. It is a work in progress filled with multiple images, representing the only book in which Yamamoto has personally invested, making it a true extension of his own private world. Within its pages, he "talks to himself" and with philosopher and art/fashion critic Kiyokazu Washida about himself and the objects he creates – objects that blend with and are assimilated by the person they seek to enhance.

The pages of "Talking to Myself" are marked by Yamamoto's pen and brush with Japanese ideograms, striking sketches, and abstract compositions, all of which help to decipher his desire to achieve anti-fashion through fashion itself. Yamamoto's world is one of black and white symbols, with color only making a fleeting appearance.

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