Behind the Scenes of Miu Miu’s Dreamy New Film
Last night, Miu Miu screened Seed, a dreamlike, chiffon-infused film by the Japanese director Naomi Kawase. Seed is the latest in the label’s Women’s Tales series, which taps notable female directors like Ava DuVernay and Agnès Varda to direct fashion-driven shorts. Kawase, an award-winning regular at the Cannes Film Festival, is best known for becoming the youngest winner of the festival’s Caméra d’Or award (at age 27, in 1997) for best debut feature film.
Her film starts with a girl (wearing Miu Miu, of course) and a white seed, and blossoms into a journey through Japan. “She could be you, or me,” Kawase says. Yesterday the director discussed the film before heading to EN Japanese Brasserie for the screening. Watch the trailer below and click ahead for a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film, featuring photographs by Brigitte Lacombe and Leslie Kee.
How did you approach Miu Miu’s clothing as part of the film’s story line?
The spring and summer collection is really colorful — vivid colors and really soft fabrics like chiffon or organdy. At the time I was discussing this project it was fall in Japan and the trees were turning, so there was a connection between the season and Miu Miu’s collection. I wanted to express how clothing is a part of you. The light chiffon fabrics lighten the vision as well.
What does the girl represent in this film?
The girl is asking questions and searching for something, just like us: Where are you from? What’s in the past? She allows us to see what we are missing. We don’t know anything, we don’t know why we are here. We haven’t found those answers yet, but this film opens the door. It’s the idea of getting to know things you never thought about.
How is fashion a part of your life?
In daily life I like organic cotton or something simple, but for the red carpet I play a lot with fashion — at Cannes last year I had this black tuxedo jacket with my belly showing and a long black skirt. Or a kimono and very high hair with flowers.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
