Interview with actor Toru Sakurada | "Stylish" means "not living aimlessly" [HERALBONY STANCE FILM vol.3]

Discover the joy of wearing colors.

--Today, you chose the silk scarf "Title Unknown" by artist Nakao Ryo for your styling. Please tell us your honest thoughts after wearing it.

Sakurada: Actually, I had a really hard time deciding which of two scarf items to choose today. One was a monochrome art piece, and I thought that if I were to wear it privately, it would fit my everyday sensibilities better. But today, rather than just for my own satisfaction, I wanted to express some kind of intention, or what I wanted to express today, so I chose Nakao Ryo's silk scarf, "Title Unknown."

The orange in this artwork is a warm yet powerful color. When I think about what kind of day I want to have today, I want to spend it brightly, happily, and peacefully, just like this artwork.

-What kind of styling do you usually do?

Sakurada: I usually have a separate style for my private time and work time. I used to love monochrome, and even now I only wear black for work. When I was in my twenties, I often chose black for work, but now that I've met the stylists and designers I work with regularly and have more opportunities to see fashion shows, I've discovered the joy of wearing color. Since I started to feel a change in my mindset and awareness, I've started to want to wear things other than black for work.

Patterned and colored items may seem difficult to wear at first glance, but they are easy to wear if you use them as a focal point, like in today's styling. Wrap an orange scarf around your entire outfit in black or gray, or attach it to your waist or bag. I've started enjoying these styles recently.

Enjoy the depth that lies beyond two dimensions.

-Please tell us how you first found out about Heralbony.

Sakurada: Actually, I only became fully aware of this recently. The other day, I had the opportunity to visit Station F, one of the world's largest startup support facilities in Paris, France, and spoke directly with the people at Heralbony Europe, who have an office there.

At that time, I discovered things I had come across in the world without realizing it, such as airline amenity pouches, hotel interiors, and ballpoint pens, and later realized, "In fact, these things are also made of HERALBONY!"

At first, I had the impression that it was a brand that sold stylish and cute fashion items, but after speaking with the people at HERALBONY in Paris, I learned that they take artists' artworks as their core and elevate them into fashion.

--What were your thoughts on Heralbony's art?

Sakurada: Even if you don't know the artist's background, there are many works that are intuitively appealing. When I look at art, I think there is art that can be enjoyed in two dimensions and art that can be enjoyed for its depth. Heralbony's art often makes me curious and want to ask questions like, "How is it drawn?" or "Why are they using these colors?" I think the information about depth is directly connected to the appeal of two dimensions.

For example, Nakao Ryo's art makes you wonder, "Why are the numbers up to 14 written?" This can spark conversation and make you want to research it yourself. I think there are a lot of works that offer that kind of depth.

[Video] Ryo Nakao | The brush strokes, carves, and overlaps. A powerful graphic work emerges

HERALBONY deals with artworks by people with disabilities, but I personally have never really thought of them as divided into "people with disabilities" and "people without disabilities." Of course, I have met people with disabilities among my friends and at work, but I sometimes feel that life is difficult for me because of my own particular concerns. The only difference is whether that difficulty manifests itself in the mind and emotions, or in the body, and that is the only difference between the diverse people who exist. That's how I think.

Listen to your own desires.

--Please tell us about the "stance" that you usually value.

Sakurada: This may sound selfish depending on how you look at it, but I believe it's important to "do what I want to do." I've been doing this job since I was a teenager, and of course there have been many good things, but there have also been frustrating experiences. Sometimes I've gained something, and sometimes I've lost something. Through these experiences, I've come to strongly feel the importance of listening to my own desires and asking myself, "What do I want to do?", and making my own choices about my life. I think that if you live your life to meet the desires of others, you'll end up with regrets and end up blaming others.

I'm surrounded by wonderful people, so honestly there was a time when I thought, "Why can't I be like this?" or "I wish I'd been born more like this." But no matter how much I envy others, it's difficult to completely change myself. I accept myself as I am now and think about how I can help the people around me live brighter and happier lives. With that in mind, I value the stance of doing what I want to do.

-Why did you come to that conclusion?

Sakurada: When I was 20 years old, I was studying abroad in the UK and I read a book called "The 5 Most Common Death Regrets" (Author: Bronnie Ware). It was a book about the "regrets of those on their deathbed" of people who had been told they had only a short time left to live. It made me realise that it was possible that I might end up like that in the future. So I felt strongly that I had to do my best with what I could do now.

I had a passive personality when I was little. I still have some of that. I can also fluctuate between introverted and extroverted depending on my psychological state when taking the MBTI (a personality test based on an international standard used in over 45 countries around the world). I like spending time alone reading manga, books, and watching videos, but I also like talking to people.

I believe that time spent outdoors is what makes it shine, precisely because I have time to be alone. While I've met many people, I've also had the experience of not being able to meet someone I thought I'd see again tomorrow, and I felt a great sense of regret at the time. When I lose something I don't want to lose, I'm reminded once again that life is only once after all. That's why I've come to the stance of "doing what I want to do."

Being stylish means not living aimlessly.

--What kind of person do you think is a "stylish person"?

Sakurada: I think a "stylish person" is someone who has their own ideas. When I ask them "why do you wear that?" and they give me an answer, or I can see their own thoughts and values, I think "this person is stylish."

I don't think "fashionable" is just about clothes. It's interesting to talk to people like that. They might be people who don't live their lives aimlessly. I think clothes and style exude how a person lives their everyday life.

In that sense, I really like the feeling of "wearing a will or idea," as with HERALBONY items. Displaying art at home can be a bit of a challenge, since space is limited, but it's wonderful to wear a scarf, T-shirt, or accessory like this that conveys the feeling you "like" or the will of an artist who shares your feelings. I look forward to discovering many more artists and art through HERALBONY in the future.

What can you do for world progress and peace?

-Is there anything you would like to try in the future?

Sakurada: I would like to be a bridge that allows people from various industries to interact across genres and spark new chemical reactions. In this job, I regularly meet people with great ideas, but for some reason, they are in different industries and different places. I sometimes wonder why we can't meet even though we share the same sensibilities.

For example, the other day I had the opportunity to meet a professor who studies brain waves, and he told me that by studying brain waves, it is possible to determine at what moment a person is feeling interested, relaxed, or stressed. When I heard this, I was reminded of a story about an artist at HERALBONY who finds more joy in using up crayons than in creating art. I myself have recently been drawing manga, and after sharpening a pencil over and over, I sometimes get the feeling that sharpening it becomes fun. I thought that by learning about this innate sense of joy and curiosity that humans have, I might be able to get closer to the essence of the appeal of HERALBONY art.

I believe that by bringing together people from completely different places like this, exchanging ideas and creating something together, the world can become more peaceful and progress. If there's anything I can do, I'd like to be there with them and spend a day witnessing this new chemical reaction up close. Learning new things is so much fun, after all.

Items worn by Sakurada Dori / Artist introduction

Ryo Nakao, an artist who works at Yamanami Kobo, a welfare facility in Shiga Prefecture, creates many works featuring English letters and numbers. When he creates his works, he completes them in an instant without any hesitation or hesitation, and his calligraphy expresses his energy and strength.

>> Ryo Nakao | Item List

This 100% silk scarf faithfully reproduces the artist's brushstrokes. Its large size of 88cm x 88cm allows you to enjoy a variety of styles.

>> Click here for items

◎Other costume brands: ADDIXY
・Jacket ¥61,600 (tax included)
・T-shirt ¥19,600 (tax included)
・Pants ¥39,600 (tax included)
*Other stylist's personal belongings

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