Laforet HARAJUKU
One of the early projects in Naonori Yago's career was Laforet HARAJUKU. From 2015 to 2018, he led the advertising communication for its Winter Grand Bazaar. During this time, he collaborated with leading advertising creatives such as Mikiya Takimoto, Eiichiro Sakata, Tamotsu Fujii, and Sachiko Ito. Here, through Yago's own words, we explore the thinking and creative approach behind his work on Laforet HARAJUKU's advertising—an iconic platform that has produced numerous landmark campaigns.
LAFORET GRAND BAZAR 2015 WINTER
For this project, I approached the Grand Bazaar by rethinking the nature of the bazaar itself—shifting it from an act of consumption to a moment of value transformation. The concept for the 2015 winter campaign was "crossing the borderline of desire," expressed through a visual of a figure leaping over a red X mark.
This idea stemmed from a personal experience. When faced with an overwhelming volume of products, as in a bazaar, my desire to consume would disappear, and I would find myself simply observing my surroundings. Even so, I would feel compelled to buy something, wandering through the space, telling myself to just pick anything and put it into the basket—thinking I could always put it back later if it didn't feel right. Strangely, it was only after beginning that process that I became able to genuinely choose what I wanted. That experience felt, in some way, similar to the process of growth—like learning or building a career.
At the time, I was at the very beginning of my career—so much so that this project could be considered my debut as an art director. I was also searching for a breakthrough in my own path, which strongly influenced the development of this concept. As a creator, there are things that can only be made at a certain time, at a certain age. No matter how closely I try to recreate this work today, it would never become the same. Even if it appears similar, it would carry a different mood. Part of that is due to technical growth, and part of it comes from the relationship between the message and its time. But more than anything, it is because the environment I am in now is fundamentally different from where I was then. Even if I were to attempt the same idea, I would no longer be able to believe in it with the same intensity. Conversely, the work I create now—shaped by having a family and something to protect—would not have been possible for me at that time. For me, this project remains something that cannot be reproduced.
In this project, I began by presenting the world through hand-drawn illustrations, which were then reinterpreted by each collaborator—such as photographer Mikiya Takimoto and costume designer Sachiko Ito—and realized within the final photographic work. Using colored pencils, I carefully rendered details within the rough sketches, imagining elements that would not typically be articulated in words—such as the texture of materials or the quality of light—while expanding the image directly within the drawing itself.
By closely observing these sketches, each creator would receive the embedded message and reinterpret it in their own way, bringing it into their respective creative disciplines. For this process to work, the initial sketch needed to stand on its own as a compelling drawing—a kind of blueprint. It is precisely by attempting to go beyond that sketch that each creator contributes new ideas. The rough sketch exists to initiate a positive spiral—one in which each creator elevates the work of the others.
Study of the line being crossed. Exploring which form best conveys the tension and emotion of the act of crossing.
Final rough sketch. Yago first photographed a pose as a reference, then refined it into a visually composed form through graphic design.
Rough sketch for LAFORET GRAND BAZAR 2017 WINTER. Yago sketched a preliminary costume design and shared it with costume designer Sachiko Ito.
Photograph by Eiichiro Sakata. Shot at an observatory in the snow, where the white landscape acted as a natural reflector. The images were captured on positive film using a Hasselblad camera, then projected at full poster scale. The final selection was made collectively by the entire creative team.
Creative for LAFORET GRAND BAZAR 2016 WINTER. An approach combining photography by Mikiya Takimoto with collage by Yago.
LAFORET GRAND BAZAR 2018 WINTER
The concept that ultimately emerged through our work on LAFORET GRAND BAZAR was that of a "festival." Many traditional Japanese festivals, such as lion dances, originate from local communities—celebrating the harvest of the year and praying for abundance in the next. The bazaar itself began in Nihonbashi over 140 years ago. We came to see it as a form of tradition—something that could be understood as a festival in its own right.
Based on this idea, we envisioned a cultural festival taking place in Harajuku, a birthplace of diverse creative expression. It is a celebration that gives thanks to the creations of the past year, while wishing for the flourishing of new creativity in the year to come. The costumes were constructed like origami, formed through folds, and worn by performers enacting a lion dance—creating a visual reminiscent of a New Year's celebration from another world. By presenting this work in Harajuku in January 2018, we sought to celebrate the many forms of creativity—particularly in fashion—that emerge from this place.
