Interview with Junya Nakai

Junya Nakai ("JN") interviewed on Tuesday, 14 August.

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?

JN : I have a career of more than 25 years as a textile designer. Five years of which experience was very informative for me. I belonged in a brand as a textile designer, the brand made original fabrics and made yarn for fabric. Then, I have learned the process of textile industry.

How did you become a designer?

JN : I have learned textile in the art university to become a designer. I have planned it from before.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

JN : I plan at first, concept, season, item, material. I talk with a fashion designer and make such things together. After that, I start making design and talk with a textile maker and ask regulations.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

JN : My work starts on the desk, but eventually, I think my design product will affect people's emotion. Because the fabric will be a dress. When you wear your favorite one, are you happy or not? I imagine the last scene of fabric. So, I will be excited when my plan made up as a fabric.

What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?

JN : No chef who doesn't like having foods. What one likes, one will do well. Just I like creation. Also, the person I respect told me, you need passion and affection.

What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?

JN : I'm thinking about the theme of coexistence with nature. I would like to express not only design, like art. Also, I'm worrying about plastic pollution in the ocean. I'm thinking about how to solve the problem.

What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?

JN : Listen to people's story carefully. Do not be negative the plan from the beginning. Do not push only your idea from the beginning. More than half of the work of design might listen to people's talk.

You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?

JN : I think that the design thinking infiltrates deeper into society. Creators in various fields should make networks and collaborate beyond industries. The networks should work for social benefit and find a solution of social problem by design power.

What is your day to day look like?

JN : I live in the natural environment, so I don't have any office. My ordinary lifestyle like growing vegetable gives me a clue of creation.

How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?

JN : I don't follow up with design trends now.

How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?

JN : Clear concept, reason visualization, no waste, useful.

How do you decide if your design is ready?

JN : In the textile industry, maker person says the fabric is alive. The various problem happens in a factory during weaving like cutting yarn, stopping the machine suddenly, doesn't progress than expected. Making fabric is so hard after finished design. However, we have the date of delivery, we have to advance. We have to fight against time.

What is your biggest design work?

JN : In the textile industry, maker person says the fabric is alive. The various problem happens in a factory during weaving like cutting yarn, stopping the machine suddenly, doesn't progress than expected. Making fabric is so hard after finished design. However, we have the date of delivery, we have to advance. We have to fight against time. I can not delay the design. I have to do the best performance during the limited time.

Who is your favourite designer?

JN : One of the best designers I respect is Jurgen Lehl. He has passed away already, but I saw him, talked to him. Because I belonged in his brand before. He taught me a lot of things about fabric or nature or the environment. I like his works even now and inspired.

Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?

JN : I live in the natural environment, it's surrounded by trees and I can see the small stream from my house. Many kinds of birds fly and tweet in the air. I'm interested in nature worship.My work and motto are coexistence with nature.

Would you tell us more about your work culture and business philosophy?

JN : Basically, I work alone. Of course, I will contact my customer or the same industry's person, but I don't have any partner. Because I would like to have all responsibility and role. My design will be completed when I have done by myself at all.Actually, the maker makes a fabric, not me.I can't use weaving machines. So, I need many bits of help to make a fabric. That is why I have to do other things by myself.

What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?

JN : It's very important to do for social benefits as a designer. I would like to do like the social design through my works.

What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?

JN : Usually, the designer has a client and just make a correlation. However, the competition such as A'design award can tell a message to other people through the works. The message can fly across the world and it will be reached to the people who have not known about it before. That's amazing.

Junya Nakai Profile