Fashion designer Kansai Yamamoto died of acute myeloid leukemia on July 21, media reports. Kansai believed that he would definitely overcome his illness because he advocated "genki principle" himself.
At that time, photographer Mr. Hashida sent me a picture of the scene when Mr. Kansai was photographed in the 90's. Mr. Morozumi, an assistant at that time, took a picture secretly.
I have so many memories with Kansai that I deleted the blog I wrote once, but I'll write it down for myself so that I don't forget the important things.
At one point, Kansai-san called me to say, "Let's have lunch together," and I went to eat lunch at Palais France, which was along Harajyuku Meiji-street. At that time, in the midst of the bubble, Kansai wore a silk shirt with a gold embroidery of Christ on his back on a bright green background he designed. When I was waiting for the signal at the Yamashita Park exit along Harajyuku Meiji-street, I raised my hand to the driver of the white Rolls-Royce convertible, saying "Hi!". While driving in the same way over there, I get a reply saying "Hi!".
When I asked Kansai, "Are you acquainted ?", He said, "No, there was a flashy person, so I instinctively called out."
Also, when I arrive at my office on time in the morning and get to my seat, Kansai-san calls me at exactly 9:30. If you hurry to the president's office, you can see the cutouts of magazines and art books. After talking, I was chatting with everyone in the secretarial section and public relations section of the next room, and Kansai came into the room and said, "When I talk to you, I come up with various ideas.
Every morning, the company Before coming to, I'm always excited about what to talk to you today. You're a genius! "(I can't be a genius!) And went out. I am convinced that it was called for. Suddenly, when I looked around, the women in the Secretarial Division and the Public Relations Division were grinning. "Are you dating Kansai-san?" Say "I'm not kidding!" Then I will return to my seat.
Around that time, the bubble burst, and Kansai was devoting himself to a show called a super event every year apart from the fashion show. At this time, he was planning the world's first fashion and spectacle show in Russia's Red Square. Mr. Kansai called me the usual extension and said, "I have a board meeting from now on, would you like to join me?" And I was seated next to Mr. Kansai at the meeting. Was invited to participate in a board meeting with outside officers.
Except for Kansai, everyone said that the show in Russia should be canceled. I didn't think that was the story of the management team. It seems that Paris Fashion Week has also been cancelled.
Kansai instructed me to present the concept at a conference.
Kansai had the next plan, so he left and I was left behind. An unfamiliar board member thought he was an important person, so he said, "No, I'm in trouble. This show costs $ 400 million. It's almost the same as Formula 1." After that, everyone said "I was in trouble, I was in trouble" and the meeting ended. Such a story should be confidential because morale will drop if employees know it. I thought I had to think only about graphic design, so I thought I had heard the great thing.
The next morning, Kansai-san called me again with an extension call. The Russian show seems to have been cancelled. Kansai wasn't surprised because he seemed to be prepared, saying, "I won't give up. I'm writing letters to various people and raising funds now, "he said with a smile.
The executives say that the company will not budget for this project, but Kansai asks me to make one after another graphic items such as posters, newspaper advertisements and pamphlets. Inwardly, I was worried that everything would be wasted.
One morning, about a month later, Kansai-san called me.I still can't forget the face that said with a smile as if he was proud to say, "I collected 400 million yen! The company didn't pay me, so I collected it myself." At that time, it seems that the sponsors were Governor Hashimoto of Shikoku, the younger brother of former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, the president of NEC, the president of ANA, and the president of IBM.
"How did you raise the money?" I asked. Kansai wrote a message on a large drawing paper with colorful markers, collaged various materials such as magazine cutouts, and sent his own letter. He showed me some of them and gave me one of them. "I always take this out of the drawer and remember it when I'm about to fail.
Kansai told me about the day he met the presidents of this big company. "I made a big mistake in my life. As promised, I arrived at the meeting restaurant about 45 minutes ago, and it was a little early so I had the driver go around and kill time. ""It was 30 minutes ago, so when I entered the store, I went through the tatami mats and opened the sliding door. The presidents of NEC, ANA, and IBM put three fingers on the tatami mats and bowed their heads. I was there!"
He enthusiastically talked about his appearance, imitating his gestures. In other words, Mr. Kansai wants to ask for financial assistance from here, and although he is in a position to bow his head, the other party arrived an hour ago and waited in the tatami room. is.
"This was a failure. Next time, I'll go to the promised place an hour ago," he regretted.
What I learned from Kansai was more about moral than being creative. Courtesy as a person, challenge without giving up. And, instead of judging by job title or position, judge by the talent of the person. I can't stand my gratitude for seeing a young man like me who didn't have a name at the time. There are more and more episodes here that I can't tell you, but Kansai, please take a rest in heaven.
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