Japanese designers Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto helped revolutionize the fashion industry by abandoning tradition and staying true their own artistic visions. Join us for a discussion of two short films about the careers of these fashion pioneers.

About the Films

The old guard of fashion despised her; the critics never understood her. But for Rei Kawakubo, founder of the renowned fashion label Comme Des Garcons, that was always the point. Kawakubo eschewed conventional standards of beauty, ushering in a new era of anti-fashion. (Fashion Industry Broadcast, 30 minutes.)

Yohji Yamamoto’s innovation has led to groundbreaking collaborations and pop culture moments, such as reinventing Dr. Martens and dressing entertainment icons from Tina Turner to Elton John. His trailblazing Y-3 range with street-sports giant Adidas paved the way for the now billion-dollar athleisure industry. (Fashion Industry Broadcast, 30 minutes.)

About Jasmine Helm

Jasmine is the former co-host and co-founder of Unravel: A Fashion Podcast. She grew up in La Puente, CA, and New York City and has studied fine art, art history, fashion and museum studies on both coasts. Jasmine has also worked as curator and archivist in Los Angeles and New York. She is passionate about exploring the cross-cultural intersections between history, art, material culture, fashion and people. Her current research focuses on the dress and textile culture of the Afro-Indigenous groups in the Bluefields coastal region of Nicaragua.

How to Participate

To participate, simply sign up here, and then watch the films at your leisure before Thursday, March 25. The films are available to stream on YouTube: Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto. We will email you a link and instructions for joining our group discussion on Zoom. When you register, you can also ask to receive a reminder email one day before the program with the link included.  

About the Fashion on Film Series

Monthly discussions on documentary and feature films explore the world of fashion, design, sustainability and global textile traditions. Browse upcoming programs