Mixing Up Japan With Takuya Angel

Fashion and music collided at this year’s Pacific Media Expo in Los Angeles. Creatures from Outer Space (UchuSentai NOIZ), Pop Idols from Japan (Papillon with h.Naoto), Angels from on high (Angelic Pretty), and an eccentric DJ all lent their style to grace PMX’s Main Event Stage. Underground fashion icon Takuya Sawada was one of the fashion guru’s in attendance this year, using his music and his fashion to enhance each other through his line, Takuya Angel. Spinning a set at Saturday night’s dance, presenting his very own fashion boutique and taking part in PMX’s first ever fashion show where models literally danced down the runway, Takuya brought medieval Japanese design to 21st century America.

All photos shot for Askew by Brendan Daniel.

You began the clothing line in 1995,but how did you develop an interest in fashion prior to that?
From 1987 to 1994, I was working as a fashion adviser. At that time I was mainly studying the names of the different types of Western fabrics and their history and so-forth. My job at the time was dealing with clothing procurement and sales budget calculations.

Did you formally study fashion design?
I didn’t actually study it at school. I pretty much learned by working in the fashion industry. I think that way was better because I was earning a wage at the same time!

What is your favorite period in Japanese history from a fashion standpoint?
From Japan’s history, the most beautiful and colorful period was the Azuchi-Momoyama period (approximately 1558-1600 AD).

What lead to your collaboration with Akiko?
I think it started quite naturally from a conversation I had with her. She gave me a keyword and I used my inspiration to give it form.

How do you continue to develop such inspired designs for your clothing line?
I get my inspiration from many sources. I get it from the pictures in history books, movies, anime, and paintings; even from my conversations with people. Everything comes from my interests, changed into images in my mind, and then I draw them.

I always repeat this process.

At first my drawings are just simple lines. Then I gradually add more and more complex details and draw it countless times until the final design comes out. When I finish the final design sketch, I then decide when it’s going to be made.

I think that design is the balance of form and color. The colors I use are the kind that matches our current fashion trends.

How did you go from fashion designer to club DJ?
DJs mix songs together; as a fashion designer I mix fashion eras together. The two aren’t so different.

Explain “Japo-electro” to us.
Electro, House, Techno, Industrial, Goa, Psychedelic- all of those dance music genres come from different countries, but I have more of an interest in what the people of each nation add to the music. Therefore, I was born in Japan, so I wanted to create Japanese Electro music. I want more music containing Japanese sounds to be created and heard throughout the world.

What are your sources of influence for “Japo-electro?”
Noh play music, Gagaku court music, Kabuki, Japanese festival music, and the like.

How did you get involved with Tokyo Decadence?
In 2006 I went out to Tokyo Decadence, and there I met Adrien. He knew about my clothes from before and we soon became friends. He often came to my shop after that and eventually he asked me if I’d like to co-organize the September 9, 2006, party. I agreed and we organized the party: “Angeler’s Look Night #15 with Tokyo Decadence.”After that, I also became a DJ for Tokyo Decadence.

Adrien also wanted to introduce my label Takuya Angel in Europe, so I participated in the Tokyo Decadence European Tour three times, and he sold my clothes in each European country he went to. I’m truly indebted to Adrien. He will always be my very dear friend.

You are currently signed to Darkest Labyrinth. Can you tell us the story of how you met Kiwamu and eventually came to be on his label?
In 2006, through getting to know Adrien, I also met SiSeN. SiSeN started coming to my store a lot and Adrien suggested to me that SiSeN would make a good shop clerk. At that time I couldn’t increase my number of staff, and even gave up on that idea, but in 2008 I was able to employ him as my shop staff.

SiSeN suggested that instead of just clothes, we should also sell CDs in the shop, and seeing as I was also working as a DJ, I took his advice and started selling CDs in my shop. On the recommendation of SiSeN, I started stocking CDs from Kiwamu’s Darkest Labyrinth label. Through selling his CDs, I got to know Kiwamu.

In January of 2009, Kiwamu suggested that I try releasing my own CD. I’d always made music as a hobby, but seeing as this was major distribution, I happily decided to do it. That was when I signed a contract with that label. In March of 2009, it was decided that I would play at the Texas convention, Anime Matsuri. Because of that, I planned the release party for my CD at the convention.

Kiwamu is a brilliant producer.

We noticed that you had not one but two convention appearances scheduled in November, and they were even back to back. What did you want to do in the US for the few days between PMX and Dotcon?
I want to go to Amoeba Records in Los Angeles! I also want to meet everyone at the conventions.

Based on your experience at Anime Matsuri, what is it like working as a DJ at a convention rave compared to a club in Tokyo?
At Anime Matsuri, the DJ booth was very big, the ceiling was very high, and the sound and lighting were very good. There were over one thousand people in the crowd, and it was very exciting!

There are lots of different types of clubs in Tokyo. The American audience had an even better reaction than the Tokyo audience. I enjoyed DJ-ing very much.

How do you decide which of your outfits to wear for each DJ set? Do you try to incorporate elements based on what you plan to play?
My clothes are always the main point for me. I make music that matches my clothes and use them when I DJ.