Through the lectures so far, I’ve experienced significant shifts in my approach to design. Tara’s session on circularity was particularly eye-opening, leading me to incorporate the “make to remake” concept into my piece. By minimizing seams, I’ve ensured the garment can be disassembled more easily, providing more width and length for future repurposing, this reflects my commitment to sustainable design.

Yuima Nakazato’s feedback also deeply impacted me. He emphasized that my work shouldn’t rely solely on upcycling, as it’s not entirely new in itself. Instead, he challenged me to make the garment more compelling by adding personal connections. This advice pushed me to integrate the traditions of the Mucubal people with my own design principles of avant-garde fashion, making the project not only more authentic but also uniquely reflective of me.

As a result, my work now transcends simple upcycling. By drawing from the cultural richness of the Mucubal and aligning it with my avant-garde vision, I’ve created something that feels fresh, personal, and innovative. My enthusiasm for the final piece has only grown, as I now see it as an authentic expression of my style and the values I stand for in fashion.

Through these ongoing lectures, my mindset has shifted almost 180 degrees compared to before applying. More than just refining my concept, I’ve come to focus on pursuing my identity and understanding why I must express myself through the medium of clothing. The idea of “Who am I?” that Mr. Yuima mentioned in Lecture 0, as well as the necessary perspectives to understand myself and communicate socially, have been transformative. As a finalist, I would like to continue to pursue my own identity, respond to what is demanded, and create products that give a voice to society through clothing.

Through FFP, I was exposed to new trends in post luxury theory and sustainable fashion, and witnessed the importance of a circular business model based on reduced use of virgin materials and the circular economy, and the responsibility of designers to design for it. In particular, I learned important concepts in the pursuit of sustainability, such as creating new cycles without relying on natural resources and the concept of mono-materials based on recycling.

In my project this time, I would like to ask what is the message or question posed to us by the “existence” of wax worms, which biodegrade plastics, as discovered through recent research.
I would like to create a project that considers the possibility of creating a sustainable future, while maintaining the value of fashion and coexisting with nature, together with the viewers, wearers, other designers and FFP members.

Through FFP, I have had many opportunities to think about “sustainability”. Among them, the one that I felt the need to confront once again is the sustainability of traditional industries. It is a matter of course to face sustainability in materials and manufacturing processes. Then, during the secondary selection, I was reminded of the question, “is there any possiblity that you will use other than kumiko?” I was reminded of this question. I have faced this question many times. Ideas come to me like a waterfall every day. As such, I am tempted to jump on new technology. But one of the reasons I have clung to the “Kumiko” technique for four years since I met the craftsman is because I felt sad when I saw the situation where the technique could disappear at any moment. In order to make use of this technique in the long term in the future, we need to look at the structure of the industry. what one designer can do is small, but I would like to explore hints to connect the beauty of the delicate and profound Japanese technique and sensibility in this program as well.

Through the lectures, I was able to learn about fashion from a variety of perspectives.
In addition, through dialogue with the other semi-finalists, I learned about values that I did not have, and I feel that I was able to encounter ideas that went beyond what I thought should be done this way.
For my final work, I would like to combine what I have absorbed over the past three months with my own ideas to create a powerful work of art.

Before participating in this program, I thought that having various perspectives would simply broaden my visions. However, through this experience, I realized that learning from multiple angles is also about focusing on something truly important. For me, that is “fashion = agriculture”.
The value of “mottainai” reflects the belief that something can still be reborn, which is connected to the richness of “keeping things alive.” I weave the values that peasants had of “caring for things and making the best use of materials” into a system of design, and create clothes that enrich the wearer’s life.
It is easy to cower in thought when faced with the current situation full of challenges surrounding fashion. However, I believe in the power of fashion, and it is only by sincerely confronting these issues that we, as creators, are able to accomplish what we set out to do.
Imagining what kind of future I can weave together with the people around me, I will continue to move my “body” so that my fashion designs will become a new “human exsistance “!

Entering the Fashion Frontier Program, my initial goal was to raise awareness of Filipino culture and highlight our sustainable textiles. However, through the lectures, I’ve come to realize the potential of this platform to enact meaningful change far beyond my original intentions. The session on artistic journalism opened my eyes to the power of storytelling. I decided to not just showcase my work, but to give voice to the skilled Filipino craftsmen and weavers who have shaped this project. By creating a short documentary alongside my design, I aim to advocate for these artisans, allowing their stories to be shared with the world in their own words.

Moreover, the lecture on luxury and sustainability challenged my perspective on what luxury truly means. I’ve committed to pushing the boundaries of this concept by using waste materials and natural byproducts to create something not only beautiful but also valuable. This process has reinforced my belief that sustainability is not a limitation; rather, it’s a catalyst for innovation and creativity. Through my final work, I hope to prove that the future of fashion lies in the fusion of tradition, resourcefulness, and modernity, and that what may be considered “primitive” can redefine the standards of contemporary fashion.

In the history of high fashion, which has been considered difficult for the masses to understand, my question was whether the environmentally conscious materials and processes that have emerged in recent years have given too much descriptive element to the appeal of fashion, which cannot be described in words. However, I felt that FFP strongly requires an evaluation axis that is not merely descriptive, such as the compatibility of environmental friendliness and beauty as clothing, the compatibility of cutting-edge technology and tradition, and the compatibility of design and art perspectives. The words “sustainable” and “SDGs” made me reflect on how we can inspire people in modern manufacturing, which can sometimes become lackluster due to these terms.Although my projects are often seen as upcycling of discarded materials, I would like to produce output while respecting the Japanese values that I am attracted to, such as a sense of reverence for nature and beauty.