Yukari Åba is the exclusive fashion designer for MALICE MIZER. All of their costumes are her work.
People with titles like "planner," "editor," or "writer" often like to separate their jobs into small roles. As a result, some people end up with two or three titles and end up saying how busy they are. Among them i think the profession of designer is currently being broken down into the most minute distinctions. Itās not just about people who create design sketches, cut fabrics, or shape the garmentsāthere are specialists in hats, accessories, knitwear, and so on. I can understand if someone with a foot fetish only wants to make things related to feet, but recently, somethingās been bothering me. It starts with the question of whether it's okay to refer to Åba-san simply as a "costume designer."
Sheās responsible for the image of MALICE MIZER after their revival. Under the name of costumes, accessories, and hairstyling, she handles everything from patchwork to welding (pay attention to KAMI's hands this time) to even the stage props. Can we really call her a "designer" or "costume person" in just one second?
However, as I was agonizing over this, Åba-san spoke enthusiastically, saying, "This part was really difficult, look at it! Oh, and here too..." She talked joyfully about how she changed the fabrics little by little and factored in lighting effects. She said with a laugh, "People often tell me, 'No one will notice you went that far,' but I love doing it." Through her words, I understood one thing: Åba-san doesn't care what she's called, as long as she can create costumes. Itās her passion. That's why such lively, remarkable costumes are born from her work.
Mana had told me, "I imagine the feathers gently falling off!" (laughs). It wasnāt meant to change that much, but after making it, I thought, "I want to make it cuter," partly because too much of the legs were showing. I used a fabric called washer organza for the feathers, and also incorporated it into the underskirt, creating a tutu-like effect with about four layers to add volume. The pom-poms were something Mana brought in, saying, "I want to attach these somewhere," and when he attached them herself, she said, "It's cute!" (laughs). Actually, he also made the wig and chains with his own hands.
The butterflies on the wings arenāt real, of course (laughs), but I dyed each one individually. Even in places where it seems casual, thereās a lot of effort behind it (laughs). The fabric for the costume was something Mana requested, saying he wanted a luxurious material that looks like beads. I brought various options and he was especially fond of this one fabric because itās very light. He even said, "It feels like Iām wearing nothing, this is perfect!" (laughs). It was a hit (laughs). As for the accessories, he said he wanted something with the feel of a wedding fountain with light shining inside it (laughs). I remade it several times to create something that bounces back when touched.
We also tore up light blue feathers and embedded them. We worked hard on even the smallest details that might seem like nothing at first glance (laughs). To make sure the guitar strap doesnāt get tangled, I discreetly made the wings detachable with Velcro (laughs).
Kƶzi is someone who likes to plan everything from the start. When I first saw the design, I thought of a fiery phoenix, so I decided to make it based on that image. The fabric is the same as Mana's but in a different color. He said, "I've worn something like this before." This time, he wanted something that resembled a jumpsuit. Even though it has no elasticity, I went ahead and made it, but when he wore it, he said, "It's tight..." (laughs). Even though it was restrictive, heās someone who enters the role through appearance.
The feathers on the chest were dyed with a gradient because I wanted to add that effect, but balancing it was tricky. While adjusting during the fitting, I mixed in red, which is his signature color. This jumpsuit also has Velcro to make it easier for the guitar strap to pass through. The accessories ended up looking very different from the design sketches because when we attached them to the sleeves, it made playing the guitar difficult (laughs). So, when we finished one sleeve, we decided to wrap it around his neck, creating a more luxurious design. The wings on his back are made from aurora film, which changes color depending on the light, appearing red or gold. The material is aluminum, making it very heavy, but the overall cohesiveness of the costume is strong, so he managed to play with it as it was. As for the strawberry hat, we added three-dimensionality using feathers, doubling its size at Kƶziās request.
By the way, when he wears the costume, heās 196 cm tall, from his shoes to the top of his head (laughs). All the members end up being around that height, right? So we make the inseam 100 cm. People always ask, "Who on earth is going to wear these?" (laughs).
He had an image of a "beast" in mind, and even Yu~ki himself said, "This is quite an adventure." The skirt was actually his first tryāa dress made of enamel, something we figured out together during the fitting process. Itās a double-layered design, with the back being longer and slits cut into it, creating this eerie look. The bones are designed to resemble human bones, adding shadow to enhance the effect. The back is made of two layers of umbrella-like fabric, with a sheer fabric sandwiched in between to create a shadow effect. At first glance, it looks like a single layer, but there's a lot of depth (laughs). In terms of time, his costume was the fastest to make because once Yu~ki decides on a design, he sticks to it.
Yu~ki, from the start, based his look on the initial image and always strives to get as close to it as possible. The hardest part was dealing with the enamel fabric's texture. Although we wanted it to look big, enamel has this shiny, slick look, so we used a technique like gathering to create a pinched effect, making it appear more three-dimensional, even under lights. This time, it's sleeveless, but the tattoos he recently got give it a good balance. However, it seems it takes quite a long time to paint his arms, which is a challenge (laughs).
For Bel Air, it seems that the design he envisioned was difficult to realize. This time, I adjusted the shape of the collar slightly upwards to make it easier to take off. Since taking off the costume was a concern, I incorporated his favorite Rurubar lace in two layers and embroidered it with CD sequins to give off a subtle shimmer, ensuring that the fans could see the light reflecting off it. The sequins were also added to the wings, inspired by his recent thematic focus. They create a fantastical effect, with a gradient from blue to purple as the light shines on them. The wings are the largest element, but theyāre lightweight, which allowed Kami to say, "I want to perform while wearing them" (laughs).
For the headpiece, i dyed a cup and embedded black feathers as an accent giving it a mysterious shape that he can just throw on. Lately, heās been wanting to wear a pink wig that he bought himself, but itās a bit too intense, so Iām thinking of adding some mesh to tone it down (laughs). The overall concept was inspired by looking at an insect encyclopedia, specifically butterflies. Additionally as Kami insisted from the beginning, thereās a tail attached (laughs).
This time, all the members wanted to have wings, so that served as the basis for the design. The members had very detailed requests, particularly Gackt, who was inspired by his favorite movie, The Crow. He wanted the outfit to highlight his beautiful body lines, so while the design is simple, it also needed to allow for movement. Ideally, I would have preferred a stretchy material, but I was determined to use cotton velvet, which has a dark and moody atmosphere, while also creating the effect of gold shining through the darkness.
The cotton velvet, combined with cut velvet, made sitting difficult for Gackt, but when the light hits it, the gold stands out clearly against the black backdrop. The wings, which he was very particular about, were designed in three layers. When closed, they fold up slightly, but when fully opened, they span 4 meters. For live performances, Gackt uses strings to control them, allowing the wings to spread open. The construction is sturdy, with hidden mechanisms for the strings, making the wings quite heavy. The wings were made using about four different patterns, and sequins were added so that when the light hits them, they appear three-dimensional. We used an incredible amount of feathers for the wings as well.
