If one thing is certain, designer Yasu Michino gives good arm candy. The Paris-based Japanese designer founded his eponymous brand in 2014 having spent time at the major fashion houses including the likes of Yves Saint Laurent, Givenchy, Sonia Rykiel, Nina Ricci and Delvaux.
For his own label though, his ambition is to combine innovative shapes with an acute attention to detail and a practicality, after all, they’re designed for the every day, albeit a stylish day. Naturally, the collections are designed in Paris and manufactured in Italy with the very best craftsmanship at the heart of the process.
Felicity Carter: What was your first fashionable memory?
Yasu Michino: It was entering the fashion school Studio Berçot and the encounter with the headmaster Marie Rucki. She has educated many designers for many decades and lived through the changes from Haute Couture to Prêt à Porter. I am very proud to still be in touch with Marie – she has changed me in many ways and how I envision what Fashion is about. The memory is about coming to Paris with a dream, the first day at fashion school, not being able to express myself properly in French and the encounter with Marie.
FC: How did you get into the industry?
YM: I always knew I wanted to study fashion design, but first I studied Art history and French Literature at NYU. After my degree, I moved to Paris when I was 20 and enrolled at Studio Berçot. I interned at Sonia Rykiel, then Givenchy and then I got my first job at Yves Saint Laurent. From the very beginning, I was always in the bags department and without being intentional about it, I became specialized in leather goods.
FC: What were the greatest lessons learned when it comes to fashion?
YM: Great authentic design comes from positive energy, true passion and love for what we are doing. To design something that has meaning and sincerity, it has to come from the heart, designed with care and a lot of consideration. When we are not happy, we cannot create good design. Keeping oneself happy is essential to being a good designer.
FC: How would you sum up your aesthetic?
YM: I am influenced by many things, but our aesthetic sense is nurtured through our experiences, childhood, and our daily life. I am Japanese, I used to live in the US and now I’ve been living in Paris for 15 years. I like efficient design, I am a pragmatic person, I travel a lot. If you put all those elements together, my aesthetic sums up: Japanese simplicity, American fun and functionality, French chic and nonchalance.
FC: Do you have a signature style?
YM: The signature style of Michino is that there is always a dose of joy or twist while staying function, elegant and qualitative. From time to time, there might be something strange or completely disconnected but that’s also Michino. The designs and technique of leather goods are well considered. Even a fun detail will be executed well because I truly believe that a good idea or design is never good enough if it is not made well.
FC: Talk us through the collection…
YM: I use a lot of smooth calfskin as that is what I consider the base material to quality leather goods for everyday use. I also like suede for the casual look and watersnake for a more luxurious touch. Each collection is inspired by a destination. I’ve done a collection that took me to Kyoto or Palm Springs, Panarea of Paris – which is the latest FW18 latest collection. Existing styles are revisited in colors and prints that made me think of the destination. End of the season, we travel to the destination and make a lookbook shoot there.
FC: Who are the supporters of your brand?
YM: In the UK, Liberty London is our strong supporter. From S/S18, Harvey Nichols sell Michino bags at the Knightsbridge store. In the US, we work with Barneys in New York, Galeries Lafayette in Paris. In South Korea, we are at Hyundai and in Japan we work with Isetan, Barneys Japan, Takashimaya and quite a few independent stores.
FC: Which is your favorite item/s from your new arrivals?
YM: I love the Phedra Clutch, the Squarit and the Sibylle bag. The Phedra clutch is more of cocktail clutch, but a lot of our customers use the clutch as a crossbody day bag with its detachable shoulder strap – I love the versatility of this clutch and depending on the material and print, each collection the bag looks so different. When you carry the Squarit bag, even when you are wearing a very simple outfit, it makes you feel instantly edgier. It’s an efficient bag in that sense – with this bag, you don’t need to dress up to look good. And finally, I like the Sibylle bag for its shape we don’t see often a hybrid between a tote and a hobo.
View more here: www.michinoparis.com
