NOIR | Kei Ninomiya

Interview by Filep Motwary

Following in the footsteps of fellow countrymen who paved the way before him, the Japanese designer Kei Ninomiya entered the world of fashion with the ambition of presenting something new. Today, the founder of the noir line is steering the clothing industry into a new era, redefining it in the process.

In a field defined by speed and excess, such as the fashion industry, the ambition to create something entirely original can easily push its bearer to the margins, as the dominant drive tends to be the reinvention of familiar codes. Designers who have made a mark, such as Glenn Martens and Demna Gvasalia, with work that is both innovative and subversive, are regarded as patron saints of a generation for whom regrams and reworks are simply part of the creative vocabulary. Within this landscape, values such as authenticity remain elusive. The more commonplace and commercial the broader fashion market becomes, the more unpredictable true creators appear.

Like the gifted, visionary and enigmatic Rei Kawakubo, the creative force behind Comme des Garçons, under whose umbrella two further forward-thinking labels present their work at Paris Fashion Week: Junya Watanabe, one of Kawakubo’s many protégés and among the most inventive designers working today, who founded his eponymous brand in 1992, and Ninomiya himself, who treats fashion as a means of constructing ambitious sculptures—much like Kawakubo. Remarkable “sculptures”, indeed, whose purpose extends far beyond observation, whether online or within a museum setting; they come alive when worn on real bodies, revealing both the conception of the idea and the mastery of their construction.

Garments bearing the noir kei ninomiya label emerge from a blend of unexpected combinations—an almost alchemical process. From a distance, they resemble unbreakable armour protecting the body, yet as the eye moves closer, the silhouettes soften, appearing fragile. At times this is due to the richness of the fabric folds; at others, because materials are twisted and turned into strange, flower-like masses, revealing the craftsmanship behind them. Complex forms, techniques reminiscent of origami, cocoon-like shapes made of clustered bubbles, sharp protrusions, volumes evoking fantastical creatures—some bare and glossy, others textured and furry—are just some of the ideas Ninomiya has presented on the Paris runways since 2019, when he debuted there. These are garments in which stitching is kept to a minimum, their distinctive forms shaped instead by the movement of the body, as materials are joined with metal elements or ingenious internal systems of interwoven straps and steel rings. One might be tempted to draw parallels with the “metal couture” of Paco Rabanne and André Courrèges in the 1960s, yet such a comparison would miss the point: this is not a retro approach, but a contemporary modernism, fully inspired by and adapted to the present. These are creations that do not seek to impress at first glance, but rather invite the viewer to recognise the talent behind them through subtle, almost quiet details.

My conversation with Ninomiya took place online, while I was in Florence and he in Tokyo. Through the screen, the 38-year-old, with his distinctive, rigid jet-black mohawk, spoke of his passion for Comme des Garçons from the moment he encountered its designs in a boutique in his homeland at the age of sixteen. From then on, his dream was to one day join the team. Polite and approachable, he remains understated when discussing his work, making it clear almost immediately that, like Kawakubo, he is among fashion’s most reserved protagonists. This can be disarming, perhaps, though less so if one focuses on substance. He recounts that after earning a degree in French Literature from Aoyama University in Tokyo, he went on to study fashion at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. In 2008, before graduating, he decided to send his CV to Comme des Garçons and was soon invited to interview with its senior creative director, Junya Watanabe. That was it. Kawakubo hired him on the spot, prompting him to abandon his studies and join the Japanese company, where he worked as a pattern maker for four years. In 2012, he was given the opportunity to launch his own label under the Comme des Garçons umbrella, working initially with black as his sole colour—later allowing space for pure white and passionate red. He explains that he chose black in order to learn how to focus, to measure and to test his creative limits.

It was only a matter of time before he earned the public’s trust. Despite his success, he still regards Kawakubo with awe. “Even if you try to create something new, there are moments when you have no choice but to follow the current, aren’t there? But Rei does anything but that. She lives and creates guided solely by instinct,” he tells me, revealing that the name noir kei ninomiya was, in fact, her idea. He possesses a rare ability to imagine forms, much like an architect who conceives space before drawing it. The techniques he employs serve the structure of his garments, acting as both connectors and decorative elements, like the links of a chain. Looking at the inside of a noir piece feels like observing a molecular model from a scientific experiment. His combination of craftsmanship, technology and engineering is original, yet it also absorbs Japan’s rich tradition alongside the innovation that propelled the country in the post-war era, turning it into an object of fascination and even fetish in the 1980s. It was in 1982, specifically, that Kawakubo dropped a “bomb” on Parisian couture traditions with her Holes collection—deconstructed dresses with raw edges worn by androgynous waifs. An unknown Japanese designer presenting frayed fabrics, garments hanging loosely from the body, bare faces and unkempt hair—yet she rose to the pinnacle of style. Intellectual circles were quick to embrace this controversial aesthetic, and nearly two generations of designers have since drawn inspiration from her radical work. “I still don’t know why she chose me,” Ninomiya admits with genuine puzzlement, to which I reply that his talent seems reason enough.

Action rather than words—this is Kawakubo’s philosophy, something Ninomiya experienced first-hand and internalised. What did he learn from her? “That no matter how good your work is, whatever you’ve done in the past is never good enough,” he confesses, explaining that what he learned as a student bore little resemblance to his later experience at Comme des Garçons. “I developed by working as part of a team that supports an entire business—there’s money at stake, so the responsibility is significant. That inevitably matures you. We are living in a new era, and being brave doesn’t mean the same as it did 30 or 40 years ago. The world is completely different now; people evolve through social media, and that certainly affects fashion—for instance, we now see collections presented online. What remains unchanged is the manual aspect of the work, which is what sets it apart. I’ve never really tried to establish a personal style or method. I simply try to create new things that people haven’t seen before, always guided by my own aesthetic.” He adds that he does not design for a particular type of woman—it is a detail that does not concern him; it is enough that his clothes resonate. “The fact that people buy them and feel good wearing them means they are more than just a product,” he emphasises.

His latest collection was presented in Tokyo, at the Comme des Garçons offices. With no possibility for interaction, viewers—journalists, friends of the brand and the public—watched silently on their screens a collection that felt like a tribute to the cinematic heroines of Tim Burton, marked by colours illuminating his familiar black palette. I ask about the inspiration behind it. “You know, Filep, I never start with a mood board. I create initial samples and continue spontaneously, following my instinct. This time, the starting point was tailored jackets and my need to find a new translation of black, which is part of my signature.” In searching for fluorescent materials, he devised a vivid new profile for his brand, using avant-garde techniques and small details that ultimately unify the collection, each garment telling its own story. Standout elements include three-dimensional textures that animate the silhouette, headpieces made of woven wire resembling birds’ nests, spike-like necklaces, neon accents layered over black garments that act as a base—together forming dynamic, compelling looks that never sacrifice elegance. “There is a shared, organic and earthy theme throughout this collection. Bright green details resemble seaweed or moss, tulle bundles evoke the globe, while horizontally placed chains recall the scales of a fish,” he explains.

As often, he experimented with textures, adding depth even to the darkest fabrics. The first two silhouettes to appear on screen were crafted from black tulle and a printed fabric with raised, quilted patterns in purple tones accentuating areas such as the hips and shoulders. Zips were another shared feature, along with straps and buckles crossing the torso and legs, lending a workwear feel. And finally, in a distinctly futuristic finale, a series of striking sculptural garments appeared. “I don’t aim to convey any specific message through my collections,” he says when I ask about the relationship between fashion and the environmental crisis. “I try to design dynamic and beautiful creations. In a broader sense, they can easily be linked to the power of nature.”

Yet designers of his calibre—particularly those supported by Comme des Garçons, one of the most influential fashion houses of our time—do not create in isolation; they absorb the concerns of the world, which now place environmental protection at the forefront. Fashion has taken note, hence the renewed focus on craftsmanship, the search for distinction, and a reduction in production, among other shifts. The noir line appears to capture these currents. For Ninomiya, however, the process remains entirely instinctive. “I’m a workaholic. I feel uneasy leaving my work unfinished. Fashion fascinates me as a means of expression. When I work, I always wonder how future generations will perceive what I create. I operate in the same field as others, but my path is entirely different. Ideally, I want others to think that what I do is interesting—not just Rei and Junya, but others across the industry. I promise I will always strive for the best,” he concludes.