Architecture or fashion?

The venue for the celebration party for the university's architectural Design Studio was a stylish, casual restaurant with subdued lighting.

　

I was moderately nervous as I enjoyed the meal and drinks, as I was joined not only by my excellent classmates and juniors, but also by professors and other seniors whom I don't usually get to meet. Rather than speaking up myself, I listened to everyone's stories, hoping to gain as much useful information as possible so that I could get serious about architecture and work hard from now on.

　

As the party drew to a close and everyone had moderately drunk, the professor suddenly called out my name, even though I was never the type to stand out.What surprised me most was that the professor remembered my name, even though I was a poor student.

　

"Teranishi, you brought a photo of clothes you had made to your interview. I have one question for you. Which do you want to do, fashion or architecture?"

　

I'm not the kind of person who can lie. I wasn't being truthful when I said that I'd switched my focus from fashion to architecture after failing the interview at a design lab. The professor's sudden question made me blurt out the thoughts that had been simmering inside me, as I felt the gazes of the nearly 20 people in the room focused on me.

　

"Actually, I'm unsure."

　

The professor immediately responded.

　

"If you really want to get into fashion, I'll introduce you to a designer."

　

That was exactly what I wanted, but I'm not the kind of person who can lie. Even if he said he'd introduce me to a designer, I had no desire to work for someone I didn’t respect or feel drawn to. It would definitely be better for me to use my current academic background and work hard in architecture. However, I didn't have the courage to say that to my professor.

　

Many architects are very attentive to their appearance. Perhaps this is because the clothes they wear have the power to instantly convey their philosophy or way of life to the outside world. Yes, clothes are also a part of their way of life. University students, especially, are in their early twenties, in the midst of scrambling to establish their own identity, and many of my seniors were also interested in "fashion."

　

One of these seniors said to the professor what most of the people present were hoping to hear.

　

"Teacher, who are you talking about introducing designers to him?"

　

After a moment of silence, the professor answers.

　

　

"It's Yohji Yamamoto."

　

　

The next moment, the venue erupted in excitement as if the winning goal had been scored in extra time in a soccer match.

　

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