ESMOD TOKYO International Short Courses
Applications Now Open
Jul 13 – Aug 7, 2026
Led by professionals who developed their practice at Yohji Yamamoto during the brand’s rise on the international fashion scene, this intensive program examines the philosophy, discipline, and sensibility behind Japanese fashion.
Participants engage directly with pattern making, drape, construction, silhouette development, and design logic through an immersive studio-based approach.
INSTRUCTORS
Iwao Kawashima
Trained as a creative pattern maker at Yohji Yamamoto, Iwao later moved to Italy to work with Massimo Monteforte, bridging Japanese and European approaches to construction.
Akemi Aoyama
Former Chief Pattern Maker for Y’s and later part of the Yohji Yamamoto main line planning team, Akemi brings a rare perspective that connects pattern making, design development, and brand thinking.
LEARN
Understand the principles that shaped contemporary Japanese fashion: proportion, balance, asymmetry, and the relationship between body and cloth.
Learn how to observe garments beyond silhouette, focusing on construction, tension, and movement.
Analyze selected works from Japanese designers and identify the design logic behind them.
DISCOVER & EXPERIMENT
Discover the concept of “making through questioning,” a process central to the Japanese approach to design.
Explore how accident and contrast can become engines for creativity.
Experiment with pattern manipulation techniques that challenge conventional garment structure: displacement, distortion, reduction, and layering.
Practice textile handling exercises focused on weight, drape, and movement to understand how fabric behaviour guides form.
Develop silhouettes directly on the stand, working from intuition before refinement.
Observe demonstrations of construction techniques used in Japanese ateliers: hand-finishing, hidden structuring, and the subtle shaping of volume.
EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES
Explore how Japanese fashion prioritizes intention, restraint, and experimental construction.
Develop the ability to build a personal concept through reduction, contrast, and experimentation.
Gain confidence working with volume directly on the body or stand.
Understand how professional designers trained in Japan approach form, detail, and silhouette.
Option A: Pattern Making Jul 13–24（8days)
Tuition Fee: ¥220,000 (~€1,200) *
Option B: Fashion Design Jul 27–Aug 7（8days)
Tuition Fee: ¥200,000 (~€1,090) *
Full Program: Jul 13–Aug 7（16days)
Tuition Fee: ¥380,000 (~€2,065) *
*Pricing includes all workshops, materials, and Japanese–English interpretation.Accommodation, travel, and personal expenses are not included.
*The course is subject to a minimum enrollment of 5 participants.
Interpretation provided (JP/EN)
Location: ESMOD TOKYO
Open to both Japanese and English speakers.
The course is taught in Japanese with live Japanese to English interpretation
If you are interested, please complete the pre-registration form below.
https://x.gd/Rv5BF