Illustrator Takashi Tsushima, whose work inspired our textile collaboration for the 2024 Spring/Summer collection, sat down with designer Kono for a special interview. Here, we present what we learned about his creative process and his thoughts on collaborative projects.

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−First, please tell us about your background, Mr. Tsushima.
Tsushima: I started my career as an in-house illustrator for three years.

Back then, PCs weren't mainstream yet, so I drew illustrations using analog methods like hand-drawing.

Kono: Indeed, digital technology wasn't as developed back then.
I've heard that many of the magazines I read as a teenager also featured hand-drawn illustrations.
Was there a specific reason you decided to leave your company job and pursue a freelance career?

Tsushima: My job involved "creating works as requested by companies, meeting their expectations." But then my mentor, an illustrator (now an artist), advised me, "If you keep going like this, your art will suffer." That's when it suddenly hit me, "Ah, I should quit the company." I decided to resign without any concrete plans.

After that, when I asked my mentor to take me on as an apprentice, he invited me, "Why don't you just come and hang out at the studio?" So I started going to the studio every day.
Gradually, I started receiving illustration work from people around me.

Kono: So, you were doing commissioned work back then. What prompted you to create your own world and start sharing your own art?

Tsushima: I was offered a chance to exhibit my work at a gallery shop, and the thought, "Maybe I should try creating some work that's truly 'me'," became the trigger for me to start putting my art out into the world.

After that, I started getting invitations for solo exhibitions, and thankfully, I've been holding my own art shows every year.

More recently, I've noticed that I get a lot of work from people who see my art shared on Instagram.

Kono: So, you could say that by going with the flow, you've arrived at where you are today.
But I think that's a result of your own potential, Mr. Tsushima.

Tsushima: You're absolutely right. Looking back at my history as an illustrator, I really feel that coincidences became inevitabilities, and going with the flow brought me to where I am today.
I continue to work with the mindset, "Let's take advantage of every opportunity that comes my way!" (laughs)



−Could you tell us what inspired you to become an illustrator?

Tsushima: When I was a child, I admired Akira Toriyama, the creator of "Dr. Slump Arale-chan" and "Dragon Ball," and dreamed of becoming a manga artist.

However, I couldn't come up with stories or scenes, and I realized that I was more suited to drawing illustrations that I wanted to draw. So, I said goodbye to my dream of being a manga artist. (laughs)
From then on, becoming an illustrator became my dream from junior high school, and I ended up attending a high school with a design department, which led me to where I am today.

−Mr. Tsushima, you've been steadfastly pursuing your dream since junior high school. Could you tell us what you value in your creative process?

Tsushima: I constantly keep in mind "not to draw perfectly."

Many of my works feature animals, but if I draw them by looking at reference materials or photos, I end up drawing them too faithfully, which makes me lose my unique style and new discoveries.
That's why I value "not drawing perfectly," and just following my instincts.

Kono: There's a lot of common ground with clothing design as well. If you aim for too much perfect quality in design balance or material, the clothes become boring. I often feel that being too much of a "good student" isn't always the best approach.

−You mentioned that you often create works featuring animals. Why do you frequently draw animals rather than people or landscapes?

Tsushima: I want to depict "emotions that cannot be put into words," and I hope that those who view my work will receive those emotions with their own free sensibilities.

When you depict people in paintings, their expressions are too rich, making it easy to understand what emotions are being portrayed. So, I decided to freely draw animals with fewer expressions.

While my paintings mostly convey emotions that are hard to grasp, I'm often delighted to hear from viewers that my intentions have been conveyed to them.

−Your works are all incredibly unique. Could you tell us about the characteristics of your illustrations?

Tsushima: I really focus on "the use of color."
Each animal has its own inherent colors, but I deliberately don't reproduce them faithfully. Instead, I simulate various color combinations many times until I find the color scheme that feels most natural to me.
For example, while cheetahs are characterized by the contrast of yellow and black, I might use red or pink. Even with elephants, I might use yellow, green, or red instead of gray.
Through repeated simulations, I discover various color combinations, which is a lot of fun.

Kono: When I first saw your work, Mr. Tsushima, I was immediately drawn in by the exquisite colors and balance. I later learned, which I found very interesting, that they weren't hand-drawn but created digitally.

Tsushima: Indeed, the "digital yet analog-looking drawing style" is also a characteristic.
It creates a fantastical and warm appearance, and actually, my personality is also a factor. (laughs)

With hand-drawing, if you want to fix something, you have to paint over it and start from scratch. But with digital, you can quickly make corrections only to that specific part, and color simulations are easy. That's what I love – being able to explore forms until I'm fully satisfied.
It allows me to meticulously refine my work until it's exactly what I envision, and it's a drawing style that perfectly suits my personality.

Kono: Indeed, because you can redo things many times, you can layer colors repeatedly, which in turn creates a deeper sense of color.


↑ "Phantom Landscape with Elephants," an illustration for the collaborative textile

−Among the various animals you draw, is there an animal that is easiest to illustrate and one that is most difficult?

Tsushima: The easiest is the "elephant."
I simply love elephants. Plus, they're big, and as long as you capture their distinct features, you can deform them in any way and they'll still be recognizable as an elephant.

Kono: Even a small child's drawing of an elephant is still clearly an elephant, right? (laughs)
Conversely, what's the most challenging?

Tsushima: Conversely, the most difficult might be the "budgerigar."

Kono: I can hear chirping in the background right now (during our online interview). (laughs)

Tsushima: That's right. I've had budgerigars for a long time, and they're the closest to me, so I get hung up on every single expression and end up sticking to a fixed form. (laughs)
It's because it breaks my cherished policy of "not drawing perfectly."



−Now, let's talk about this collaboration. What was your first impression of UNDECORATED, and how did you feel when you heard about the collaboration?

Tsushima: My first impression of UNDECORATED was "elegance." But it wasn't haughty; it felt like it was gently approaching me. It was reassuring.

Kono: At UNDECORATED, we aim for a sense of modernity that can be glimpsed in everyday life. It's truly gratifying that you perceived that through our clothes and visuals.

Tsushima: It really made a very good impression. And that impression hasn't changed.
So, when I heard about the collaboration, I even wondered if my art would be suitable. Was this the right fit? But after Mr. Kono explained it to me, I was convinced and very intrigued. (laughs)

Kono: At first glance, Mr. Tsushima's works have a strong visual impression of animals, but as I mentioned earlier, what attracted me most was the profound use of color.
I gave a lot of thought to how to express "UNDECORATED-ness" without destroying Mr. Tsushima's work.
So, I challenged myself to create a textile that focused on Mr. Tsushima's characteristic use of color by stretching the artwork to its limits and softening the presence of the animals.

Tsushima: When I saw the finished clothes, I felt that it was truly a collaboration that distilled the best of both me and UNDECORATED. It maximized the unique flavors of each, and I even complimented myself, saying, "My art really is good." (laughs)
I was genuinely happy and surprised. (laughs)



−Finally, could you tell us about your future aspirations, Mr. Tsushima?

Tsushima: I want to continue creating works that become a part of various people's lives, delivering just a little bit of happiness.
Just like this clothing collaboration, I want my art to be a spice that brings joy in all aspects of life – clothing, food, and shelter.
If I can become such an illustrator, I would be truly happy.

Kono: Thank you for your time today!

Just as Takashi Tsushima described it as a "collaboration that maximized the unique flavors of each," Kono himself said, "Instead of choosing Mr. Tsushima's work by imagining the finished product, I chose what I intuitively felt was 'good,' and as a result, we were able to create the best collaborative item."

Products featuring the collaboration textile with Mr. Tsushima are now available in our online store. Please take a look.

2024 Spring/Summer Collection Page

Takashi Tsushima (@marutsu817)