Yohji Yamamoto | Full Address and Q&A | Oxford Union

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Yohji Yamamoto, a Japanese fashion designer based in Tokyo and Paris, is widely regarded as one of the most influential avant-garde fashion designers in the world, whose design concepts reinterpret ideas of feminity through iconic use of black, asymmetrical cuts and oversized silhouettes.
He launched his label 'Yohji Yamamoto' in 1981, and is also familiar to consumers through his athletic line with Adidas Y-3. Yamamoto is also known for creative collaborations across various artistic fields, such as with film directors Wim Wenders and Takeshi Kitano, and for being the only Japanese designer to receive the French award Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et Lettres in 1994.
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[@lydiarowe491]

Yamamoto reminds me of a monk in disguise to be a gentle messenger to those who would listen...a beautiful human being with an amazing soul and humility.

[@fonkibarah]

Powerful speech. Very discerning and humbling in the manner in which he presents. The introduction carries a lot of humility and respect for the audience

[@themaltesesailor9774]

I would love to hear his interview in Japanese, I'd imagine it'd be far more personal and even more detailed, in his native language.

[@senjosou749]

I don’t think so. He said paris is more like his home in his book.and he didn’t talk too much about his design even in Japanese.

[@senjosou749]

He focuses on doing by hands but not talking.

[@edwardferry8247]

A gentleman and a fine artist, wonderfully uplifting, thank you.

[@Sir_BoazMutatayi]

What a great man. So inspiring

[@deanekoh1]

I admire his speech done in English, although it is not in his native language. There is a beautiful simplicity in his speech and responses to the questions.

[@farihahharisfadzillah6284]

One in a million. Rare.

[@jodifritz9456]

I modelled YOJI YAMOMOTO in Paris ♥️💜💗

[@NZLSATAN]

Spelt his name wrong too

[@marcelplummer395]

legend

[@Unknown-or6ey]

The greatest japanese fashion designer of all time. Yohji Yamamato.

[@FashionRoadman]

LORD YOHJI!

[@cecilia86zj]

Very humble and kind human being. I saw this talk was held 2 years ago which means Mr. Yamamoto was on his 75-76 years old time. I fully respect that he spoke by himself without troubling the interpreter next to him. Even tho I don’t understand Japanese, bcs of some Asian culture in common, I have enough patience to wait and understand his deep meaning. Thank you 🙏🏻 Yohji Yamamoto, I’m reading his book “my dear bomb”, inspiring enough to understand the “ma” which the Japanese read the space between lines.

[@louise-yo7kz]

I can imagine the smell of iron must trigger a lot of emotions. Such a sensitive soul. A great designer

[@lisajackson9280]

Yojhi is a master, yet so humble, how fortunate that audience were....."I started designing clothing for independent woman who is not doll for man"....The one thing that never changes is that fashion journalists are still parasites, I cannot imagine the lack of humanity of a person reviewing the collection of a man who's mother was widowed by the war as "Hiroshima".

[@darjeeling585]

I'm a high school student in Japan. Therefore, the clothes he designed are too expensive for me to buy. However, I want to buy and wear the clothes in the future. And, I want to be as cool as his clothes by that time. I think he is a pioneer with rebellious.

[@qishmish]

That last question was pretty disappointing in how people are brainwashed about "cultural appropriation" concept nowodays.

[@pennydls5073]

I second that.

[@pennydls5073]

I rolled my eyes like her intention to provoke drama.

[@kuya5000]

exactly, it's so ironic how these attempts at being progressive end up doing the exact opposite. why not promote the philosophy and concepts of wabi sabi and it's origins and history in japan? by saying if you're not japanese you can't use it or even mention it you're segregating the term from the world and not allowing it the privilege of being spread outside of japan.

[@suecastillo4056]

Bravo to you sir... freedom of expression❤️

[@matthewbrennan3127]

One of the best admirals of all time

[@ioannispolemarkhos7364]

I can't believe he survived midway.

[@edmundironside9435]

Its infuriating to see that people are more interested in taking pictures of Yamamoto than listening to him. I guess thats fashionistas for you...

[@flower-ld5id]

Can't they do both?

[@manaboutit1594]

This cat has style. LOVE the brim!

[@yujitsuzuki5439]

One of the greatest fashion designers of all time! But I just could not understand what he was actually trying to say sometimes. I love his spirituality and things he went through!

[@P0SHED]

He is absolutely a delight!!

[@MehranOfChicago]

I ran into him and his daughter (Limi Feu) in Paris a few months ago. Incidentally, I was wearing all Issey Miyake (Yohji Yamamoto shoes)!. We spoke in Japanese. He was so nice and more interested in me talking. Frankly, I had no idea he spoke English until I watched this. His English is better than my Japanese! What a sweet champ (and I love it how he stands up when he answers questions). Limi took a couple of nice pictures of us.

[@goldman2188]

In my country of origin and in our diaspora communities all over the world if you don’t wear Yohji Yamamoto outfit you are not reaching the epics of beauty and nobility yet it starts around early 80s Japanese fashion are really good (kenzo, Raikawakubu, Takekikushi, Massatomo, Nicole Matshuda, Junya Watanabe…)

[@zy479]

耀司老爷爷真的需要翻译。不过他真的非常老了，能讲述出自己的过去生活已经很不容易了。一开始我是从他的自传上了解到他的，除了秀场最后的出场，从来没有见过他真人说这么多话，这对他的粉丝来说应该很难得看到。所以楼下的评论能给点体谅吗？你家里的长辈说话慢吞吞难道你就因为听不懂不听了？？

[@alexavdroslucas2049]

He is a real artist ,I love his clothes there are very mystic ,and gourgeus! !!👑👑👑BUT I have a question is he continue to create?????BEACOUSE the last 15 years we don't see his clothes in any shop in Athens ☆☆☆☆♡♡♡♡♡🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

[@Jermaine_666]

my master... the best designer ever ..... so humble

[@ksoper1351]

Beautiful

[@altaydraws]

he is very polite.

[@louise-yo7kz]

He comes from a beautiful polite culture

[@Roccome1]

i didn't know because of malnutrition Japan had 3 generation where were born the shortest people among them. That is interesting.

[@yoheilespaul]

Yohji yamamoto is very popular in Japan even now.

[@songbotang867]

The best designer and the master in the world

[@fmffmf2]

thanks for great teaching

[@pennydls5073]

That last question to provoke drama.

[@Ghost-xu3xs]

Imagine being able to talk with Yamamoto and the best thing you can ask is that garbage ass question 🤦‍♂️ also how she made it about herself because she did a dissertation on a subject omg get real

[@9monava]

Love hearing his personal story and also the impetus for his exploration of asymmetry and also female empowerment -- wish Oxford University could afford better subtitles! They are all wrong -- I volunteer! Give me a call. I understood everything he was saying!

[@MrMikkyn]

I love Japanese people. They are so deep, minimalistic, introspective, and contemplative

[@niamhtomlinson7099]

最も興味深い人の一人。

[@michelle8824]

one of my favorite so far, i love yohji!

[@川上洋平-x3m]

日本語の字幕欲しい…

[@lianazaayter4842]

in love with his spirit and futuristic mindset

[@slyyyboyyy]

hi Oxford, there is a typo in the thumbnail of this video

[@xiaoge333]

such a short interview. I am very fond of yohji clothing, except for the pants, because they are so wide and long

[@bessielee9595]

the absolute best designer, Yohji ❤

[@DK_1977]

Phenomenal

[@edwardbray2039]

Yamamoto is great! however concerning the whistleblower panel from a few weeks how come I can't find it? Did you guys censor it? everyone is talking about it so it would be nice to see what all this is about.

[@jeromecruz2588]

Yohji is more than Yohji, Y, Y3, etc. It feels like he is a different entity. Something you couldn't describe yet you feel attach or close like you share something but you don't. Like a name of a stranger.

[@久松-n3f]

すごくいい話を聞けた

[@546573573456]

ads every 5 seconds, @OxfordUnion maybe lower your frequency?

[@maxlinder5262]

WHAT YEAR IS THIS FROM ..?????????

[@LoveFix2558]

Yohji Yamamoto is also a very skilled Karateka, and I’m sure would be steeped in the associated mind, body and spirit philosophy

[@t.7381]

32:00

[@nathankurz]

He’s like the Frank Ocean of the fashion world.

[@largeshaftzac8027]

How lol

[@marchyaprilia2961]

he uses european inventions like the sewing machine zippers colourspaint to paint cotton computers photography etc

[@shnwll1756]

OMGGGGGGGG

[@hongtaoliu594]

❤

[@leemary4833]

Saw the new clothes line for men ‘2024….with the pictures in coats and pants…love it but wish they make them for women.

[@草むらポリゴン]

日本人でさえ侘び寂びって漠然としていて理解しづらいのに、ましてや諸外国の人達が理解するのなんてもっと難しいだろうな

[@がごぃどぱぎぁ]

ザヴニヅプギ１ルピＬヴニナソヅリマォヅポネギモルマォヅポネギモルピＬヴニナソヅリピＬヴニナソヅリピＬヴニナソヅリピＬヴニナソヅリマォヅポネギモルマォヅポネギモル

[@がごぃどぱぎぁ]

ザヴニヅプギ１ルピＬヴニナソヅリマォヅポネギモルマォヅポネギモルマォヅポネギモルマォヅポネギモルマォヅポネギモルピＬヴニナソヅリ

[@michaelofparadise]

this was amazing

[@tonys490]

this man is gold

[@imianco8079]

legend!!

[@がごぃどぱぎぁ]

ジＱォ９ｈｇｇォマルモヂマ’４ジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォ

[@がごぃどぱぎぁ]

ジＱォ９ｈｇｇォマルモヂマ’４ジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォマルモヂマ’４ジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォ

[@がごぃどぱぎぁ]

ジＱォ９ｈｇｇォマルモヂマ’４ジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォマルモヂマ’４ジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォ

[@がごぃどぱぎぁ]

ジＱォ９ｈｇｇォマルモヂマ’４ジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォジＱォ９ｈｇｇォ

[@SuperSaider]

Esse cara é foda

[@mixodeficto]

Gandalf the Gr-asian

[@agenius4562]

Sigh , proceeds to search r/y3 reps

[@山本言-x4f]

I like that woman's leg

[@DragonSpikeXIII]

Just watched tuis and I found myself struggling to understand what Yohji was trying to convey. Next time get an interpreter.

[@diogeneslantern18]

I thought he was a hobo until I googled him

[@clarityreunited]

yet again someone saying you look homeless proves to be one of the greatest compliments you can receive in the fashion world

[@briannxx]

What the Hell is he babbling about

[@afud1015]

lol same here, I barely understand what he's saying, I think there should be a translator in this kind of occasion.

[@altaydraws]

you really have to read.

[@yzhong7821]

Why are disrespectful ppl so obsessed with making comments that manifest their wickedness all the time

[@chayc.s8272]

If you cant understand it dont watch it

[@fashcionpachion2570]

You sound dumb and disrespectful. You don't have the intellect to understand, Don't bother watching.