Fashion: A cut above

Isao Kaneko's outfits would fit right in at an afternoon tea party, the set of Gone With the Wind or high society, Chris Betros observes.

You always know when there's an Isao Kaneko fashion show on. At the nearest station, women of all ages get off trains sporting the designer's trademark outfits that look like something Scarlett O'Hara might have worn in Gone With the Wind. And once you get to the show, you'll certainly stand out if you're not dressed accordingly.

Kaneko is the only designer in Japan to get such a response from his fans, who have been coming to his shows like that for as long as anyone can remember. Such loyalty and enthusiasm thrills the 62-year-old Kaneko, who designs under two labels—Wonderful World and KANEKO ISAO.

"When they first started to come to the shows decked out in my clothes, I was really surprised. Now it's the norm. The models joke that I don't need to do a show because the audience is wearing my outfits already," he says.

Born in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Kaneko says he can't remember exactly why he became interested in fashion design. "I think it is because I liked America," he says in his office surrounded by clothes, accessories and knick-knacks. "When the US and its allies defeated Japan in World War II, I was just five years old. At the time, I had been taught that foreigners were to be feared. Because I had never met any, I believed that. Then American military officers started to come, and I found out they were not scary at all."

More importantly, he saw his first Western films. He liked the cut of clothes that elegant actresses such as Vivien Leigh, Grace Kelly and others wore in that era's films. "I was drawn to classic clothes with their skillful cut. Later on, the European look started to influence me more. I really took to the style of the French 'nouvelle vogue' in the 1960s and the fashions of Brigitte Bardot and Jeanne Moreau."

After the terror attacks of last September, Kaneko felt he wanted to do something in tribute to America for its early influence on him. So the first model at his 2002-2003 autumn-winter collection in April came out wearing a Stars and Stripes outfit. "I just wanted to do something to cheer up America. There was nothing political about it." Strangely enough for someone who has been so strongly influenced by American and European trends, Kaneko doesn't like going overseas and admits he still finds foreigners a little scary—despite the fact that his wife is half-German. "Foreigners are too direct and aggressive. That rattles me. For example, Japanese fashion writers act as if we are friends, which we are not. But they never criticize a collection. On the other hand, experienced Western fashion writers aren't afraid to say your clothes are awful."

Few foreign fashion writers are probably familiar with Kaneko's clothes, since he doesn't show or sell them overseas. His Wonderful World label features cartoonish clothes that conjure up images of Little Bo Peep—lots of cotton, pink lace, ruffles and teddy bears. The outfits could double as curtains or bedspreads. On the other hand, KANEKO ISAO is more elegant and classic. It evolved from two brands that Kaneko worked on in the 1970s, Pink House and Ingenborg, before he branched out on his own (he didn't establish his own atelier until 1990). Besides selling out of department stores, Kaneko operates 36 KANEKO ISAO boutiques and 31 Wonderful World stores.

Working out of his building in Tokyo's Sendagaya area, Kaneko prefers to decide everything himself. Even if his staff or wife make suggestions, he usually follows his own sense. Not that he's a dictator or anything. "I like to think alone. I hate meetings. I think most designers are like that. For me, fashion is neither a business nor an art form but a hobby, and you don't usually collaborate with others in a hobby," he explains.

He usually shows up at his office around 10am and stays until about 6pm. He works on more weekends than he cares to admit ("Actually, I call it relaxing, not working," he says), but he will occasionally go to watch kabuki from which he draws inspirations. Contemporary films don't stimulate his creative juices, though. "Classic films are my favorite. I watch them when they're rerun on TV," he says.

Kaneko admits he still gets nervous before a show, especially when the audience starts to arrive. He feels the Tokyo collections have lost some of the vitality they had 20 years ago. "Young Japanese seem to prefer overseas designs, so I wonder if it makes sense to have a Tokyo collection. I fear Japanese designs tend to look plain next to foreign ones. Foreign designers have a better sense of perspective."

Unlike many of his contemporaries, who have nothing but disdain for what Japan's young generation wears, Kaneko envies them. "Sure, they have no inherent sense of style, and they like to imitate things, but they are free to express themselves."

Photos by Chris Betros, courtesy of Isao Kaneko

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