Week 8 Post 2 - Creativity Within Oneself
Henry Romain
Rei Kawakubo, founder of Comme des Garçons, says that there is no connection between the way she designs clothes and the way she lives her life. When asked what Comme des Garçons tells the public about her, she responded with; "This is not relevant... She says the way you live and the way you get energy is different from what you have to do to make a collection; there is no connection between the way she lives and the way she makes clothes" (S1). Rei insists that there is no connection between the unusual, avant-garde garments she produces and the way she lives. Rei is also unusual creatively as she does not look for inspiration in the ways most creatives do. She says, with regards to coming up with new ideas, "Going around museums and galleries, seeing films, talking to people, seeing new shops, looking at silly magazines, taking an interest in the activities of people in the street, looking at art, traveling: all these things are not useful, all these things do not help me, do not give me any direct stimulation to help my search for something new. And neither does fashion history. The reason for that is that all these things above already exist. I only can wait for the chance for something completely new to be born within myself"(S2). Rei is not inspired by anything external. All of her inspiration comes from her own thoughts; "The way I go about looking for this from within is to start with a provisional ‘theme’. I make an abstract image in my head. I think paradoxically (oppositely) about patterns I have used before. I put parts of patterns where they don’t usually go. I break the idea of ‘clothes’. I think about using for everything what one would normally use for one thing. Give myself limitations. I pursue a situation where I am not free. I think about a world of only the tiniest narrowest possibilities. I close myself. I think that everything about the way of making clothes hitherto is no good. This is the rule I always give myself: that nothing new can come from a situation that involves being free or that doesn’t involve suffering"(S2). When asked about her epiphany that must have made her want to start her brand, her response was unconventional; "It just started somewhere? It just started. It was only because she wanted to work and be independent and make a living. To be free. Yes, to be free. There was a little lack of experience of growing up. You know the story right? She was a stylist at a magazine; she couldn’t find anything that she liked to photograph, so instead she decided to make it herself which is when she created her own company. There was no epiphany. She wishes she had one for you, but she doesn’t"(S2). Rei did not make Comme des Garçons in order to express herself or make an impact on the world, she merely wanted to independently make a living.
Would it be safe to assume that a creative person like Rei Kawakubo lives a life that compliments and catalyzes her work? Apparently not. "She says the way you live and the way you get energy is different from what you have to do to make a collection; there is no connection between the way she lives and the way she makes clothes"(S1). Does this mean that she lives a "normal" life when her designs are anything but normal? Are her designs just a means to make a living, and do they not give insight into her life? As a creative person, she seems to do the opposite of what most creative people do when searching for inspiration. "Going around museums and galleries, seeing films, talking to people, seeing new shops, looking at silly magazines, taking an interest in the activities of people in the street, looking at art, traveling: all these things are not useful, all these things do not help me, do not give me any direct stimulation to help my search for something new. And neither does fashion history. The reason for that is that all these things above already exist. I only can wait for the chance for something completely new to be born within myself"(S2). How could Rei come up with new ideas without any external inspiration? Could it be the complete lack of influence that inspires her? "The way I go about looking for this from within is to start with a provisional ‘theme’. I make an abstract image in my head. I think paradoxically (oppositely) about patterns I have used before. I put parts of patterns where they don’t usually go. I break the idea of ‘clothes’. I think about using for everything what one would normally use for one thing. Give myself limitations. I pursue a situation where I am not free. I think about a world of only the tiniest narrowest possibilities. I close myself. I think that everything about the way of making clothes hitherto is no good. This is the rule I always give myself: that nothing new can come from a situation that involves being free or that doesn’t involve suffering"(S2). All of Rei's ideas are completely new and original because she takes them from within herself rather than taking them from her environment. Rei's ideas seem to be inspired by emotions within herself rather than things existent in the world. Unlike all creative artists I know of, Rei did not create Comme des Garçons as a means to express herself and/or make a change in the world, but she apparently made it as a way for her to make a living freely and independently. "It just started somewhere? It just started. It was only because she wanted to work and be independent and make a living. To be free. Yes, to be free. There was a little lack of experience of growing up. You know the story right? She was a stylist at a magazine; she couldn’t find anything that she liked to photograph, so instead she decided to make it herself which is when she created her own company. There was no epiphany. She wishes she had one for you, but she doesn’t"(S2). She was not inspired by a person, event, or need to express herself, but instead it was a need for her to be satisfied in her work.
Rei Kawakubo, founder of Comme des Garçons, says that there is no connection between the way she designs clothes and the way she lives her life. When asked what Comme des Garçons tells the public about her, she responded with; "This is not relevant... She says the way you live and the way you get energy is different from what you have to do to make a collection; there is no connection between the way she lives and the way she makes clothes" (S1). Rei insists that there is no connection between the unusual, avant-garde garments she produces and the way she lives. Rei is also unusual creatively as she does not look for inspiration in the ways most creatives do. She says, with regards to coming up with new ideas, "Going around museums and galleries, seeing films, talking to people, seeing new shops, looking at silly magazines, taking an interest in the activities of people in the street, looking at art, traveling: all these things are not useful, all these things do not help me, do not give me any direct stimulation to help my search for something new. And neither does fashion history. The reason for that is that all these things above already exist. I only can wait for the chance for something completely new to be born within myself"(S2). Rei is not inspired by anything external. All of her inspiration comes from her own thoughts; "The way I go about looking for this from within is to start with a provisional ‘theme’. I make an abstract image in my head. I think paradoxically (oppositely) about patterns I have used before. I put parts of patterns where they don’t usually go. I break the idea of ‘clothes’. I think about using for everything what one would normally use for one thing. Give myself limitations. I pursue a situation where I am not free. I think about a world of only the tiniest narrowest possibilities. I close myself. I think that everything about the way of making clothes hitherto is no good. This is the rule I always give myself: that nothing new can come from a situation that involves being free or that doesn’t involve suffering"(S2). When asked about her epiphany that must have made her want to start her brand, her response was unconventional; "It just started somewhere? It just started. It was only because she wanted to work and be independent and make a living. To be free. Yes, to be free. There was a little lack of experience of growing up. You know the story right? She was a stylist at a magazine; she couldn’t find anything that she liked to photograph, so instead she decided to make it herself which is when she created her own company. There was no epiphany. She wishes she had one for you, but she doesn’t"(S2). Rei did not make Comme des Garçons in order to express herself or make an impact on the world, she merely wanted to independently make a living.
Would it be safe to assume that a creative person like Rei Kawakubo lives a life that compliments and catalyzes her work? Apparently not. "She says the way you live and the way you get energy is different from what you have to do to make a collection; there is no connection between the way she lives and the way she makes clothes"(S1). Does this mean that she lives a "normal" life when her designs are anything but normal? Are her designs just a means to make a living, and do they not give insight into her life? As a creative person, she seems to do the opposite of what most creative people do when searching for inspiration. "Going around museums and galleries, seeing films, talking to people, seeing new shops, looking at silly magazines, taking an interest in the activities of people in the street, looking at art, traveling: all these things are not useful, all these things do not help me, do not give me any direct stimulation to help my search for something new. And neither does fashion history. The reason for that is that all these things above already exist. I only can wait for the chance for something completely new to be born within myself"(S2). How could Rei come up with new ideas without any external inspiration? Could it be the complete lack of influence that inspires her? "The way I go about looking for this from within is to start with a provisional ‘theme’. I make an abstract image in my head. I think paradoxically (oppositely) about patterns I have used before. I put parts of patterns where they don’t usually go. I break the idea of ‘clothes’. I think about using for everything what one would normally use for one thing. Give myself limitations. I pursue a situation where I am not free. I think about a world of only the tiniest narrowest possibilities. I close myself. I think that everything about the way of making clothes hitherto is no good. This is the rule I always give myself: that nothing new can come from a situation that involves being free or that doesn’t involve suffering"(S2). All of Rei's ideas are completely new and original because she takes them from within herself rather than taking them from her environment. Rei's ideas seem to be inspired by emotions within herself rather than things existent in the world. Unlike all creative artists I know of, Rei did not create Comme des Garçons as a means to express herself and/or make a change in the world, but she apparently made it as a way for her to make a living freely and independently. "It just started somewhere? It just started. It was only because she wanted to work and be independent and make a living. To be free. Yes, to be free. There was a little lack of experience of growing up. You know the story right? She was a stylist at a magazine; she couldn’t find anything that she liked to photograph, so instead she decided to make it herself which is when she created her own company. There was no epiphany. She wishes she had one for you, but she doesn’t"(S2). She was not inspired by a person, event, or need to express herself, but instead it was a need for her to be satisfied in her work.
Where do you think her inspiration came from? Was an innate creative ability? Can you include a picture or two so the reader has an idea about her work?
ReplyDeleteRei Kawakubo seems to be inspired by, well, nothing. She is not inspired by anything that already exists. It could be a so-called innate "creative ability" but I think her creativity comes from the absolute commitment to creating something new. In one of her interviews she said that she does not enjoy her work, but she does it because she is free. She must satisfy some desire to create but she apparently does not enjoy it. She says that fashion should be hard and her work reflects that. I'll try to insert some images into this post.
DeleteI put some images of her work into the Week 9 Post 1, as I see them as another source of information.
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