THINGS I LOVE vol.18

I first learned about Lucien Perafine in the mid-1990s. My office was in a vintage apartment across the Rue de Rivoli from the Jardin des Tuileries, and a friend from Paris took me there. My friend told me that Lucien Perafine sweaters are currently popular among people in the industry. It was said that fashion photographers, art directors, and even fashion designers are obsessed with Lucien Perafine's cashmere sweaters.

I excitedly walked through the gate of the apartment, grateful for how lucky I was to be able to see such a sweater. I think it was right next to Hotel Meurice. The stately apartment was probably originally the residence of a medieval aristocrat. Window frames and doors that did not meet current standards, stone walls, wood, reliefs, etc. were all rare and cool. When I entered Lucien Perafine's room, I found folded knitwear strewn everywhere. Lucien was working with his female assistant to check the inventory. He was getting a little irritated with the task of taking stock in the warehouse. I looked at Lucien, who was in a bad mood, and thought, ``You came at a bad time,'' but the friend I went with didn't care and introduced me to him. Lucian gave a firm hug and a warm greeting to his friend, but he seemed uninterested in me, shaking my hand in a casual manner and walking away. Well, it almost feels like it's through. I was humbled and asked to see the sweater. The sweater, with its soft feel and warmth, was worthy of being called the ``Rolls Royce of cashmere knits.'' There was an intarsia motif similar to that of a printed T-shirt. I thought it was an innovative sweater and started trying it on. There were dozens of interesting motifs, so I tried many of them, but considering Lucian's response when greeting me, I couldn't be too proactive. After trying them on and checking the size, I told the assistant that I wanted to buy two knitwear. Then, I received a copy of the order form and left the place.

About five years later, I was chosen to cover Lucien Perafine's store on the TV show "Fashion Tsushin." A new store had opened on the left bank near the Hotel Montalembert. It's about a 10 minute walk from Saint-Germain-des-Prés. I was a little hesitant to say hello to Lucien because I was still remembering the impression I had when we first met, but the person who was working as Lucien's assistant at that time was a Japanese guy. He is an extremely cheerful character, and he perfectly follows the shy personality of Lucien. Thanks to him, I was able to honestly contact Lucien without being held back by bad memories from the past.
As I was reporting for ``Fashion Tsushin'' in Paris and introducing a new store in Tokyo on ``POPEYE,'' I became friends with Lucien. One time, he invited me to lunch in Paris, and we went to a bistro together. Lucien took out his own chopsticks and said, ``My chopsticks.'' I ordered a white fish meuniere and started eating with my chopsticks instead of using the knife and fork set on the table. This surprised me. I heard that he loves Japanese food, but I never expected him to carry his own chopsticks with him. There are many French people I know who love Japanese food, but it's rare to find someone who carries their own chopsticks with them. After that, we went out to eat together several times in Paris and Tokyo, but he always preferred Japanese restaurants.

A few years passed, and one day, Lucien asked me to create an image book. His request was, "I want you to take a picture." I told them that I could only take pictures with film, but they asked me to use a digital camera, so I thought it was a great opportunity and would give it a try. At that time, ``LEICA'' digital cameras had not yet been released, but ``EPSON'' was releasing a digital camera that could use LEICA M series lenses, so I quickly acquired one. It was a reckless move for him to take on the actual shooting with a camera he had bought the day before. I did all the modeling and styling myself, so the shoot went smoothly. However, when I sent the data I had taken in Tokyo to Lucien in Paris on the first day, he came back saying, ``It's all useless.'' His request was, ``I want you to shoot in a place that is more Tokyo-like.'' Rather than looking for a modern and clean place, they wanted a landscape that evoked the chaotic situation of places like Shinjuku and the mood of Edo. Therefore, on the second day, we changed the shooting location completely. I wasn't used to using a camera, and the location was guerilla-like, so I was nervous and worked hard. Surprisingly, I get a lot of excitement when I find myself in a last-minute situation like this. When I sent the data I took on the second day to Lucien, he said, ``OK.♥” came the reply. At this point, I was so tired that my nose was about to bleed, but I was relieved.

The creation of the image book continued in the following season, this time with the shoot taking place in Paris. Lucien said, ``I'll handle the styling and model casting, so you can concentrate on the photography.'' I was nervous to press the shutter with Lucien right next to me, but it was much easier than the last time I made it in Tokyo. Apparently he was a stylist before starting his own brand. I was used to the flow of filming and everything went smoothly. The shoot took place over two days, but in the afternoon of the second day, Lucien told me, ``I've decided on the image for the cover photo. Come with me,'' and I slung my camera over my shoulder and followed Lucien. As Lucian walked further and further down the alley, people in the area started greeting him one after another. The shooting location was around Lucien's residence. Then, I stopped in front of a stall. There, cheap old T-shirts were hanging on hangers in a shabby mood. He suddenly took a hanger with a shirt on it, peeled it off, and hung up the Lucien Perafine sweater he had brought with him. As expected from a former stylist, she is quick in such situations. The boy who was guarding the store ran up to Lucien and complained loudly. Immediately, Lucian spoke loudly to the shop owner who was in the back of the shop, flashing bills and negotiating. The shopkeeper looked at the bill and gave the OK. At that moment, the boy in front of him tried to take the bill from Lucien's hand, but Lucien dodged it and instead of handing it to the boy, he handed it to the shopkeeper in the back, giving the boy a blank look. It was such a fun scene. I quickly pressed the shutter and left the scene. The image book turned out to be a good one, with more of Lucien Perafine than the previous Tokyo edition. The art director, who had come from New York, continued to create page designs on the spot. It had a nice flow and rhythm. The shooting was done under sunny skies on both days. The streets of Paris in the background were also beautiful. It's a wonderful memory. 『JACOB His signature wristwatch, created in collaboration with &CO, is featured extensively in this image book. The following year, Shingo Katori purchased the watch at Lucien's store in New York. At the filming location in Tokyo, he showed it to me and said, ``Suke-san, I bought this.'' And he said, "I saw that image book. It's great." I was glad that I was able to photograph it.

　

■Tomoki Yuma (@stsukezane）
Born in Kyoto City in 1965. Started his career as an editor in the editorial department of Magazine House ``POPEYE''. Currently, in addition to planning and styling fashion pages for magazines, she also designs advertising costumes for artists and musicians. Before the coronavirus, he covered men's collections in Paris and Milan for over 35 years.

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