Continuing, continuing, beyond one's lifetime.
With Akira Minagawa flying
Creation of Mina Perhonen

Mina Perhonen──. It has been a long time since this name, which is light, gentle, and somewhat idyllic, has been spoken of with great fondness and great joy. Designer Akira Minagawa initially launched a fashion brand under the name "Mina" and eventually grew it as "Mina Perhonen," which will celebrate its 2020th anniversary in 25.

For three months, from November 2019, 11 to February 16, 2020, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo is holding an exhibition that conveys the trajectory and creation of Minä Perhonen. The title of the exhibition is "Continue." These simple words have great meaning. A single creator works sincerely every day, looking far beyond life. One autumn day, I visited him to see a glimpse of his work, and asked him about his thoughts on ``continued.'' The words spoken quietly were rich in thought, full of love for craftsmanship, sincerity for both creators and recipients, and kindness and consideration.

From athletics to fashion
Switch without hesitation

The core of Mina Perhonen is a collection of clothing made from original textiles that Minagawa designs himself. Stores carrying the collection line are located in Tokyo, Kyoto, Kanazawa, and Matsumoto. Attractive buildings that are typical of the area have been selected, and every corner is beautifully decorated, with a unique worldview that permeates the hotel's comfort.

It was by chance that I became involved in fashion. He was active as a long-distance track and field athlete during his junior high and high school days, but gave up track and field due to an injury. Losing his purpose, he suddenly travels to Paris after graduating from high school. During his stay there, he happened to be helping with the Paris Fashion Week and had his first encounter with fashion. At this time, I decided to make clothing for her my life's work. He returned to Tokyo and studied fashion at night school, and after gaining experience working in a sewing factory and making custom-made items, he became independent at the age of 27. A well-known anecdote is that even after establishing his brand, he worked at a fish market from early in the morning and made clothes in the afternoon at his atelier, full of his passion and effort for fashion.

There is no meaning unless it continues for 100 years.
Therefore, the willpower to continue

``I dared to take up manufacturing, which I felt I was bad at, as a job.I believed that if I did that, I would be able to explore things without getting bored. I just have to keep growing. I decided without hesitation to give it a try and look back." From then on, I thought there was no point in doing it unless I continued it for 100 years, and I have never thought of quitting. Working in fashion also taught me the importance of collaboration and the importance of continuing things.

The reason why I have focused on fashion, especially women's clothing, is because my first encounter with it was women's clothing. ``Women's clothing is worth a lifetime's pursuit.I would be happy if women would be happy to receive these clothes as gifts in their lives.'' Not only the clothes, but also all of Mina's Perhonen products exude a charm that brightens your heart every time you wear, use, or look at them. The same goes for Minagawa's paintings, poems, and words. It's calm, but at times it's also abyssal.

like a kaleidoscope
in one world
Gives off a variety of brilliance

It has been almost 25 years since Mina Perhonen was founded, and its world and activities have expanded to include interior design, everyday items, cafes and vegetable sales, as well as direction for hotels in Kyoto and inns on islands in the Seto Inland Sea. "Clothing and lifestyle are inseparable in people's daily lives. Since our worldviews are connected, I believe that clothing and architecture do not have to be separate; they are on the same line or in the same circle."

Slowly and effortlessly, the circle expanded. There is a wide variety of shops, and many have clothing, tableware, household items, art pieces, and antiques lined up side by side. In Daikanyama, Tokyo, there is Materiaali, which mainly sells textiles; in Aoyama, there is Call, which sells products from a unique perspective from all over the world; in Jingumae, there is Piece, which also sells remade clothes; and in Bakurocho, there is food and Scandinavian vintage furniture. There is a gallery-like space called elävä that introduces artists.

Manufacturing is everything
embodiment of thoughts

There are many collaborations not only with Japanese but also European manufacturers of high-quality products. From furniture to ceramics, Mina's wide variety of items with his perhonen vibe are gaining popularity. ``It's not enough just to have two names, but if you understand the other person's philosophy well and it overlaps with what you're looking for, something new will be born.''

One example is the ``foldable chair'' used in the unique and beautiful Yatsugatake Kogen Music Hall, designed by Junzo Yoshimura. The chair that was introduced when the music hall was created 30 years ago has been given a new look as a special edition, wrapped in Mina's Perhonen fabric. The fabrics used are "dop" and "dop -choucho-" and are available in nine colors that blend in with the nature of Yatsugatake. The fabric has a sturdy double face design, which is unique in that it will gradually rub off over time, revealing the color on the other side. Her grandparents ran an imported furniture store, and she came up with the idea that the chair itself would last a long time, but the upholstery would deteriorate, so this kind of fabric would be better. Minagawa's desire to use valuable items for a long time is also reflected here.

When collaborating with Italian ceramics maker Richard Ginori, he proposed having a team of hand-drawn craftsmen draw Minagawa's sketch designs to make use of Ginori's signature touch. Minagawa wanted the design team to respect the work of craftsmen, a subtle but deeply meaningful consideration.

“Design, art, words, and clothes all have the same root, even if they appear in different forms.They are all expressions of thought. Just as water vapor, ice, and water are H2O (molecular formula), architecture, cloth, and clothing are all expressions of thought. The origin is thought, and thinking about the process of how that thought becomes a reality is no different for fabrics, clothes, or architecture." For whose joy will we do this? Thinking deeply and kindly about this, Minäperhonen continues.

Lasts for a lifetime. Continue to Akira Minagawa's journey (Part 2)

(Titles omitted)

Akira Minagawa
Born in Tokyo in 1967. In 1995 she founded her own fashion brand "minä" (minäperhonen since 2003). Aiming to create designs that will not fade with the passage of time, she continues to create clothing using fabrics with original imaginative designs, while also expanding her activities to include interior fabrics, furniture, ceramics, and other designs that are closely related to daily life. She also provides designs for textile brands such as Denmark's Kvadrat and Sweden's KLIPPAN, as well as illustrations for newspapers and magazines.
mina perhonen
https://www.mina-perhonen.jp/

◆“Mina Perhonen/Akira Minagawa Continued” Exhibition
Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo
4-1-1 Miyoshi, Koto-ku, Tokyo
2019/11/16 (Sat) - 2020/2/16 (Sun)
10:00-18:00 (Entry to exhibition room until 30 minutes before closing)
月曜日休館（2020年1月13日は開館、12月28日－2020年1月1日、1月14日は休館）
General 1,500 yen / University students, vocational school students, 65 years old and over 1,000 yen / Junior and senior high school students 600 yen / Elementary school students and under free
Official Website
https://mina-tsuzuku.jp/