Kodai Iwamoto Joins Forces with G-Star RAW

Japanese designer Kodai Iwamoto is the latest designer to collaborate with G-Star RAW. Inspired by the historical connection between the Dutch and Japanese, Iwamoto created a lamp made from traditional washi paper and infused with denim waste fibres.  In 2023, G-Star RAW launched its art platform, The Art of RAW. The platform allows young creatives to show the endless possibilities of denim by creating art objects out of denim waste.

East meets west 

During the 19th century, pieces of paper travelled from Japan to the Netherlands, mostly used as packaging material to wrap ceramics. The unfamiliar composition and colour scheme of these Ukiyo-e prints inspired artists like Vincent van Gogh. Kodai Iwamoto used the charm of the paper material as the starting point for his art object. 

Iwamoto infused the washi paper with denim fibres crafted by Japanese factory Igarashi Seishi to create a brand-new material titled ‘UNERI”. Shoji, traditional Japanese doors made from a circular wooden frame, lattice-like framework, and washi paper, inspired the lighting object. This modern interpretation fuses traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design. The object’s Japanese name translates to “swelling ocean waves”. This is because of the way the denim fibres look when mixed into the liquid paper. 

Japanese design talent 

Kodai Iwamoto (Japan, 1990) studied Product Design at Kobe Design University and École cantonale d’art de Lausanne in Switzerland. Based in Tokyo and the Kagoshima prefecture, Iwamoto runs his own studio. He focuses on bringing together contradictions like mass production and craftsmanship, eastern and western culture, product design and traditional art. The designer has won multiple awards, including the Young Japanese Design Talent Award by ELLE Décor Japan and the Rising Talents Award 2022 by Maison & Objet. 

Previous collaborations 

G-Star RAW has created denim art pieces since its start, with art and design being at the core of its DNA. Continuing its quest to push creative boundaries, G-Star RAW has collaborated with emerging talents on a new series of art objects. In line with the brand’s responsible initiatives, each artist has been given the freedom to experiment using denim waste or deadstock, creating unique pieces within their own discipline whilst upcycling materials. 

Teun Zwets

Teun Zwets (1992) was the first artist to kick off ‘The Art of RAW.’ He created a unique furniture object, ‘Denim Living,’ by layering denim waste piece by piece and laminating it with a binder, featuring a lamp, a cupboard and a chair all in one. 

Johanna Seeleman

Johanna Seeleman (1990) is seen as the biggest upcoming talent in contemporary design. With her five-piece office furniture series ‘Potentials’, consisting of a room divider, floor mat, leaning bench, low stool and valet stand, the German designer used untreated leftover denim. The material’s qualities, such as stability and texture, span beyond the clothing context – making it ideal for furniture. This design series won the Premiere Classe 2023 x Eyes on Talents Prize. 

Nienke Sikkema

Nienke Sikkema (1988) is a renowned designer who works closely with the revolutionary Dutch glass artist Bernard Heesen. For ‘The Art of RAW,’ Sikkema took inspiration from the Delfts Blauw earthenware, basing her glass designs on its iconic shapes and colours. After creating a mould using staple details of G-Star jeans – like pockets and zipper –, the designer produced a trilogy of vases named ‘Blown In Blue.’ 

Athena Gronti

Greek designer Athena Gronti (1993) chose to create a large quilt named ‘Ariadne’s Thread’. From rough areas to soft and intricate stitching and abstract shapes, the large art piece aims to bring together the sociological paradoxes of denim. 

Lenny Stöpp

Lenny Stöpp (1994) produced the furniture series ‘Fluff Stacks’, consisting of a side table, stool and lamp. The multidisciplinary artist invented his own denim recipe by mixing water, starch and denim pieces in an industrial pulp machine to create a brand-new material. 

Iwan Pol

Iwan Pol (1988) is renowned for his work with the most used material in the world: concrete. So, it is no surprise the multi-disciplinary designer chose to experiment with denim and concrete. Pol combined concrete with indigo pigment to capture stills of the denim waste fabric. The result is ‘Rockin’ Denim’: a trilogy of objects that showcase the different movements of denim. 

Pien Post

Pien Post (1996) is fascinated with symbols, materials and objects. Inspired by G-Star’s archive runway pieces, she created a series of seven denim flags, ‘Waving the Denim Flag’. Exploring the concept of unity through flags and denim, each piece features its own technical experiment. From laser-cutting and heat press printing to weaving and quilting. 

Milou Voorwinden

Textile designer and researcher Milou Voorwinden (1990) is driven by innovation and discovery, reimagining denim through recycled yarns. Using a jacquard loom, the PhD candidate reconnected with G-Star’s industrial past and created her art piece, ‘Warping Twills’. Constantly reinventing traditional techniques, the designer has worked with sustainable 3D weaving.