When it comes to your label, Nattofranco—you mentioned you see France as your home and Japan as your muse?
I feel as a person, 90 percent of my personality is French, but as a creative I definitely feel 100 percent Japanese. I feel very connected to Japanese art, illustration and fashion.
How has your ethnic background influenced your designs?
Paris is still very exciting for me as I grew up in the suburbs. The best part about living in Paris is the number of museums, exhibitions, and fashion weeks. Japan still remains a bit of a mystery, especially because my dad never really shared any Japanese culture with me. He’s let me build my own opinion of my Japanese origin. Creating helps me find answers to my own questions I have about my Japanese descent. This is my outlet of connecting two different cultures and expressing through Nattofranco designs, which I really enjoy.
Do you travel to Japan a lot?
I’ve been there many times to visit family. I try to travel to Japan every two years, but my last trip definitely made me want to go more often.