From the organizer: Commissioned to make a documentary on fashion and its place in society, Wim Wenders decides to embark us in a conversation with Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto.

Setting the rhythm right away, Wenders starts off by questioning ‘identity’: “we are creating an image of ourselves. We are attempting to resemble this image… is that what we call identity?” Identity. Fashion is all about identity. About providing us with the elements to match this image of ourselves. How does fashion respond to this need to build a skin of our own? When he first wore a jacket made by Yohji Yamamoto, that’s the kind of thoughts that invaded Mr Wenders’ mind:“I had the strangest sensation: I was wearing – yes, I had no other word for it – I was wearing the shirt itself and the jacket itself. And in them, I was myself. I felt protected. (…) The label said Yohji Yamamoto. Who was he? What secret had he discovered, this Yamamoto?”

As a complete neophyte, Wenders discovers the world of fashion and dives into a conversation along which he uncovers stimulating parallels with his own world – that of images and cities. And indeed, the man couldn’t find a better companion in his philosophical journey – Yohji Yamamoto is himself a great poet; a man with his own languagewho composes melodies that echo the timeless beat of human societies. 

The ‘Notebook’ is certainly more vocal about clothes than cities, but the encounter of these two brilliant minds gives way to necessary reflection at times when images are overwhelming in our urban environment by their vivacity, speed and univocal messages to consume more. Mr Yamamoto’s passion and work ethic takes us on a parallel path to rethink our relationship to clothes, identity, self-construction… and to slow down.

Notebook on Cities and Clothes
Director: Wim Wenders
Released year: 1989
Running time: 80 min
Type: Documentary 
More info: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096852/