Hitomi Matsuno opens up about how Japan influenced her artistic vision and why she will always go against fleeting trends.
From bonnets to caps, helmets, and hoods, headpieces have long existed as a mode of sartorial expression. Our relationship with what we put on our heads has continuously reflected cultural moments, and no one knows this better than Japanese headpiece designer Hitomi Matsuno.
Matsuno produces headpieces that range in size, color, and design, from soft red flowers hanging on black vines to headpieces made up of black beads and elaborate crowns of blue flowers. Matsuno’s design process comes to life when she “imagines the designs in [her] head while moving [her] hands,” she explains over email to Mission. Matsuno hopes that her work “leaves a shock and impact that [anyone] can feel in an instant.”
Born and raised in Japan, Matsuno was influenced by the natural world around her. She began deriving inspiration from “the movement of stems and flowers,” which came to play a vital role in her work. Matsuno is attracted to petals’ “crumbling movement” and how they showcase the beauty that lies in imperfection.
Matsuno exhibits her work on her Instagram page and has been featured in various magazines. Despite this, she’s intent on creating what she likes, “regardless of the trend of the times.” Matsuno envisions a future where she can create with unknown materials and “make something memorable.”
Matsuno’s work turns headpieces from fashionable accessories to pieces of art. As time progresses, she hopes to increase the accessibility of her designs, creating designs “that can be embraced [by all].”
Images courtesy of Hitomi Matsuno