Purple Magazine
— Purple #43 S/S 2025
The Tokyo Diary Issue
tomo koizumi
interview
by OLIVIER ZAHM
photography
by CHIKASHI SUZUKI
Kazumi Asamura Hayashi, style
Lu Hongfei, model
Sota Nagashima, production assistant
Koizumi’s voluminous, hand-sewn, meticulously cut, and colorful ruffled dresses go far beyond clothing. With theatrical energy, this self-taught designer blurs the line between couture, queer culture, and art.
OLIVIER ZAHM — Where in Japan are you from?
TOMO KOIZUMI — I’m from Kisarazu, a city in Chiba Prefecture, about a two-hour train ride from Tokyo on the eastern side of Tokyo Bay. It’s a place rich in nature, with both the sea and the mountains.
OLIVIER ZAHM — How does Japanese culture influence your designs?
TOMO KOIZUMI — I enjoy incorporating elements that are distinctly Japanese to add entertainment value. It’s not about catering to the audience, but rather using these elements as a way to bring joy and fun. For me, using my Japanese roots in my design is both the simplest and most impactful approach.
OLIVIER ZAHM — Do you draw inspiration from traditional Kabuki?
TOMO KOIZUMI — I’m deeply inspired by the entertainment value and theatrical campiness of Kabuki. The opulence of its costumes, the swift costume changes, and the exaggerated beauty of the wigs never fail to captivate me.
OLIVIER ZAHM — In Japan, black and white are deeply loved in fashion, but your designs feature diverse, vibrant colors. Is this a challenge to uniformity?
TOMO KOIZUMI — I naturally gravitated toward vibrant colors to set myself apart from other designers. It feels instinctive to me, and selecting a wide palette of colors is never a challenge. Just like kimonos and Kabuki and Noh costumes, Japanese culture embraces the free use of color. I take pride in showing to the world that Japanese aesthetics extend far beyond the concept of wabi-sabi.
OLIVIER ZAHM — Would you describe your voluminous, three-dimensional designs as living sculptures?
TOMO KOIZUMI — I would be delighted to show that a dress can be more than just clothing.
OLIVIER ZAHM — Is your fashion designed equally for men and women?
TOMO KOIZUMI — Some of my designs are made for specific body shapes, but I don’t think about gender. I describe my designs as “you might not know if it suits you, but it’s cute and fun.”
OLIVIER ZAHM — Would you say your designs are part of Tokyo’s queer culture?
TOMO KOIZUMI — That’s what I aspire to. Since my teenage years, I’ve attended queer parties and been deeply influenced by that culture, including drag queens. I would be thrilled to inspire the next generation of queer youth.
OLIVIER ZAHM — Is there a queer community in Japan, or is it hidden?
TOMO KOIZUMI — I believe the queer scene among younger generations is becoming more open. I am deeply grateful to those who came before us and fought for our rights, and I feel it’s vital to continue that fight for the next generation.
OLIVIER ZAHM — Does Tokyo still have an underground scene?
TOMO KOIZUMI — As I’ve grown older, I might have lost touch with underground club culture, but I’m certain it still thrives.
OLIVIER ZAHM — Who was your favorite designer when you started?
TOMO KOIZUMI — John Galliano. Until I was 15, I had never encountered anything like Galliano’s world in magazines or on TV. It completely captivated me. It was an extraordinary world that mixed fantasy and entertainment.
OLIVIER ZAHM — Who is your favorite fashion designer now?
TOMO KOIZUMI — John Galliano remains at the top of the creative world for me.
OLIVIER ZAHM — What’s difficult about being a designer in Japan?
TOMO KOIZUMI — The pressure from those around me to align creatively. Doing something too different isn’t always accepted here, whereas abroad, it’s often seen as an advantage.
OLIVIER ZAHM — What do you like about living in Japan?
TOMO KOIZUMI — In Japan, everything needed for creativity — fabrics, machines, factories — is readily accessible. This convenience, however, can sometimes make you less resourceful.
OLIVIER ZAHM — What is your dream?
TOMO KOIZUMI — To create larger spaces and environments, expanding my world to bring even more joy and fun to people.
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