As part of a publishing project dedicated to Yohji Yamamoto, I developed an editorial object exploring the concept of Absence & Presence, a duality that lies at the heart of the designer’s creative philosophy. Deeply influenced by Japanese aesthetics and the notion of wabi-sabi, Yamamoto’s work constantly navigates between shadow and light, concealment and revelation, structure and deconstruction. The project aimed to translate these tensions into a visual and tactile experience, using editorial design as a medium to interpret his universe beyond a simple biographical or fashion-focused approach.

The publication is structured around four thematic chapters , Origins, Black, Deconstructed Garment, and Body, each examining a different aspect of Yamamoto’s practice through a dialogue between text and image. The editorial direction is built on strong contrasts, alternating between minimal and dense compositions, monochrome imagery, and fragmented visual narratives. To reinforce the concept, the object features two complementary covers representing the notions of absence and presence, connected through a Japanese binding that reflects both the designer’s cultural heritage and the handcrafted nature of the project.