There's nothing to worry about.
freely in any style,
draw a picture according to your heart

Mina Perhonen will celebrate its 2020th anniversary in 25 since its establishment. Minagawa thought, ``Life is fulfilled by what you have to do.What you can't do in your lifetime should be passed on to the next generation.''Minagawa thought that Mina Perhonen has come a long way.

In addition to being a designer, director, and manager, Minagawa also works as an individual in cutting serialized novels for newspapers, creating products for magazines, picture books, and various exhibitions. Every day, she accomplishes an incredible amount of work that I don't think a single person could do. ``On my desk are all the work that needs to be done at the time, such as unfinished designs, sketches for textiles, and drawings for newspapers, and I complete them all at the same time.I think about efficiency, move my hands, and don't hesitate. I'll start with the things I don't have any doubts about. There's a deadline, so I'll finish it properly," he says lightly.

Although he liked drawing, he never studied it professionally, which he said was a great thing. “Until I started my brand, I had no appreciation for my drawings, so I am free to draw whatever I want.I draw whatever style and line I want, following my heart and feelings. I would be happy if you would accept it."

See challenges as blessings,
Solve it little by little and continue

Has the trajectory been smooth so far? "Even though things didn't go well, things went well. I still think about how I can do better every day. There are problems and I'm given the task of solving them. I'm grateful for that." Behind his easy-going and carefree speech, there is a sense of integrity and a refreshing spirit that comes from his steady and extraordinary efforts.

Let it continue. Behind this idea is a backlash against the system of consumption known as fashion. ``By continuing, I want to break away from the feeling that fashion is something that can be done and is like water.When I decided to continue fashion forever, this was an important element. This is the result of me thinking for a long time that if I can't do something, I can leave it to the next person.'' This attitude has also resulted in a system in which we happily accept repairs and alterations, as we want clothes purchased 20 years ago to be used for a long time.

The most important thing in order to continue for a long time is trust. ``What is important when working is the sense of trust that comes in a variety of ways, apart from economic considerations.I feel that this is the great joy that comes from working.'' Between factories, consumers, and creators. The trust and bonds that are created between countless people are said to be the purpose of everyday life and the key to solving problems.

What Minagawa did in his time was to start a brand, build good relationships with garment factories, and set up a process and structure for everything from fabric to designing and making clothes. Furthermore, this world was developed into a variety of manufacturing methods, and it was brought to a state of fermentation. "Right now, the fermentation has progressed a little and it is exposed to air and is actively moving. I believe that aging is ahead of me in my life."

From 25 years onwards.
At the exhibition “Continue”
What I want to convey

Continue doing the same thing. There are various forms of ``continuation'' that continue in time and processes. Why continue? What kind of significance can be created by continuation rather than standalone? This is what we are presenting in this exhibition. There is also an exhibition where customers entrust Mina's clothes with words that describe their feelings and memories about the clothes. "This is an exhibition about the memories created by the materiality of clothes. My thoughts become materiality, which becomes the memories, memories, and emotions of various people. At that moment, I realized that this cycle is the essence of 'manufacturing'. Masu".

Consumption is meaningless. Creating things that combine memories and emotions becomes a joy in life for both the creator and the recipient. In order to give you a sense of this, the exhibits are also steeped in Mina-ness. I have the most fun when I'm creating things, so work, leisure, and relaxation all have the same meaning. Things are created from daily life, so I don't think of work and life as separate. What do you want to accomplish in the future? "It's about passing on to the next person. There are people who have different ideas than me, but I want the next generation of staff to do their best to deepen their own ideas."

I believe that the work of people who perform excellent work is similar to "prayer." He is sincerely happy and grateful that all life is alive, including himself, others, and is humble. He always works hard and produces rich results. We find beauty and value in the results and are greatly encouraged. I'm happy and very happy that Mina and his perhonen will continue forever.

Lasts for a lifetime. Click here for Akira Minagawa's journey (Part 1)

(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/