Whitebook: Emi Wada

Life

My

Volume 1

“Only the best is good enough - Understanding the true essence of this is what changed my attitude to work forever.”

emi wada Emi Wada’s petite stature belies the accolades received from millions of admirers around the world enraptured by her ingenuity in creating costumes of exquisite splendour. An Oscar winner for Costume Design in Akira Kurosawa’s unforgettable feature, Ran, Emi celebrated her 77th birthday this spring. Despite her prestige as one of the world’s most acclaimed costume designers, but her modesty remains. She is still without a manager or assistant; her “office” consists of a telephone in her living room.

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Emi was raised with opulence, her creative backdrop provided by the picturesque city of Kyoto with its delicate cherry

conceptualised the idea, planning to use Noh-inspired costumes. Her enthusiasm won her the commission.

blossoms and golden autumn leaves, a sophisticated world rich in the traditional crafts, art, design and wardrobes of

For Kurosawa to choose a relatively inexperienced costume designer raised eyebrows in the industry. When

bygone Japan. She had her first brush with costume design when she was 20 while studying Western Painting at Kyoto

Emi was in commission for Ran, the Japanese-French production eventually became beleaguered by

City University of Arts. Already married to Ben Wada at the time — a popular director of TV dramas — Emi benefited

budgeting concerns. This hardly bothered the resourceful designer who had already ordered a huge number

from her husband, who helped catapult her into recognition. “I wanted to consult Ben about my art and costume design;

of Noh costumes from master weavers in Kyoto. Such was her dedication that she sacrificed part of her own

he was a great director. As a student, I was surprised that he left everything up to me. I’ll always be grateful to him for

commission to cover the costs. But her diligence and generosity eventually paid off; the film earned her a

having helped develop my craft, and for the independence and trust he showed me when I was still inexperienced.”

coveted Academy Award. “There’s no telling when fortune may smile on you. Back then I had time, so I

Emi worked on several stage productions before her real breakthrough into film with the American production Marco.

dyed every costume for the 1,000 soldiers right here in my own bathroom.” Her gentle laugh is reminiscent.

“After Marco, I had several other offers in Japan, but these were mostly for outfitting main actors.” Emi turned them all down, believing that costume is more than just aesthetic, rather as a vital and all encompassing element in film that greatly influences audience perceptions. “Costume design covers all characters, even the extras.”

“Can I experience something new or challenging the unknown is the deciding factor for new projects.”

“Having been surrounded by this carnival of creative geniuses from a very young age definitely gave me a head start.”

“Just me and my assistant, checking and double-checking over and over again: colour, fabric, dirt.”

Her attention to detail is legendary, and while it may seem excessive, Emi reckons otherwise: “You never know if there’s going to be a close-up. For all you know, a soldier might appear only in a long shot. But if you don’t pay attention to the small details, the realism of the entire movie could suffer. Movies are fantasy, and it’s precisely because of this that I interpret my costumes as realistically as possible.”

The aspiring young designer was soon introduced to Akira Kurosawa during a screening of Dersu Uzala. Little did she

Shortly after her Oscar for Ran, Emi received numerous calls from other famous directors. One of which

know that this meeting would pave the foundation for a friendship that would ultimately cast her into the

was from Peter Greenaway, who happened to be working on Prospero’s Books, an adaptation of

spotlight. “I loved Shakespeare dearly when I was young. When I told Akira how much I loved

Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Peter liked Emi’s innovative work in Ran and wanted her on board. “The lead

Throne of Blood, an adaptation of Macbeth, he mentioned his upcoming rendition of

actor’s cloak wasn’t ready, so Peter reached out to me. I liked his films, and his taste coincided with my

Shakespeare’s King Lear. I told him then and there that I would absolutely

own, so I immediately agreed. While on location in Amsterdam, Peter asked me to do all the costumes for

love to work with him.” In her head, Emi had already

the production. He wanted a 17th-century look, complete with wide collars, so I was scouring frantically through the antique markets of Amsterdam and Paris to get the right look.” Her eyes grin with nostalgia.

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Emi has since worked with other notable directors, among them Franco Zeffirelli, Ronny Yu and Mabel Cheung. Her costumes for Zhang Ziyi in Zhang Yimou’s House of Flying Daggers were especially well received, eloquently showcasing her unique artistic vision. These days, she travels frequently between Japan and China. But even with her demanding schedule, Emi maintains a semblance of independence by arranging her own accommodations.

“As long as I have my paints, I can design anywhere.

“You’ve got to find your own way by yourself.”

Creation is mobile and transitory.” When asked what she planned for the next stage in her life, she laughed, “I’d really like to clean my house, which I haven’t done for about 57 years. I’m hopeless, but I can’t help it. Every time I get an exciting offer, I’m off and running.”

Photo = Keng-Peng Teo P07 / Kabo P08, Text = Yukiko Yaguchi / Nicole Chan ★Emi Wada★ Born in 1937, Emi Wada is a renowned Japanese costume designer from Kyoto. She created the costumes for Akira Kurosawa’s Ran, which earned her an Academy Award for Costume Design. She also won an Emmy Award for Best Costume Design in the opera Oedipus Rex. Other major accomplishments include costume design for Hiroshi Teshigahara’s Rikyu, Peter Greenaway’s Prospero’s Books, Mabel Cheung’s The Soong Sisters, Nagisa Oshima’s Gohatto, Zhang Yimou’s Hero and co-director John Woo’s Reign of Assassins.

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