Born in Okinawa, Japan, Milanese by choice since the age of 19, Kensaku Oshiro seems to search for an answer when you ask him if he feels more Japanese or more Italian. He admits that he has an innate tendency to subtract and to simplify, inherited from his culture of origin. But his attitude of constant research in pursuit of innovation, he says, is intrinsically, typically Italian.

The meeting with our country came in 1996, not by chance but by choice: Kensaku wanted to be a designer and wanted to do it as they do in Italy, so he signed up for the Scuola Politecnica di Design in Milan, with the idea of returning to Japan after a couple of years.

After graduating, he decided to hang around, to gain experience, and then he wanted to learn more. Oshiro gradually realized that design was a true passion for him. He understood this first in the studio of Giovanni Levanti; then he collaborated with other designers, including a decisive stint with Piero Lissoni, with whom he worked for eight years.

Then Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby convinced him to move to London, in 2012. Finally, in 2015, came the big decision to set out on his own. He returned to Milan, and in a few months he completed, for Salone del Mobile 2016, a series of projects that can stand up to the works of the most famous designers: a collection of seats for Poltrona Frau, a table for Kristalia, a family of small tables for De Padova, an upholstered armchair for Gan. Quite a debut, revealing a mature design personality that combines the rational precision of the Italian school with the poetic sensitivity to form of Japan.

One example is the Hole table for Kristalia, characterized by an original base in sheet metal that contains a large oval opening. “The idea,” the designer explains, “was to bring sensations and elements usually found in nature into the home. I was inspired by the sculptural, almost monumental forms of rocks shaped by the wind. To bring out their beauty, I worked on the contrast between clear, rigorous lines and soft, sinuous organic shapes.”

In the case of the Leplì upholstered furnishings (a stool, a bench and an ottoman), the inspiration was more anthropomorphic. “I imagined Poltrona Frau as a very elegant lady, dressed in white, with a small belt accenting her waist.” Hence the flexing lines, especially in the stool, with the reminder of a feminine silhouette, intentionally presented in a single color to bring out the folds, stitching and tailored details that enhance the leather cover. “I like the idea of the shadow that draws, silently, discreetly. This is why I always think about monochrome objects and play with small details that can enrich the surface. I think this is very Japanese.”

“In 2015,” Oshiro continues, “I made my first professional return to Tokyo, organizing a solo show during the Design Week. It met with success, and I have received many offers to work in Japan. The pay was good, but I would inevitably have had to make compromises in the research I had developed thus far. In the end I said no and came back to Italy, because I understood that the design I love is Italian design.”

Above all, he likes the relationship of ongoing dialogue with companies, each marked by a different history and identity. “Italian design companies,” Kensaku concludes, “are the entrepreneurs themselves, people ready to take risks and to invest in projects because they believe in innovation. This situation is not found in Japan, or in many other countries in the world.”

Text by Maddalena Padovani

gallery gallery
Sen tables for De Padova.
gallery gallery
Leplì stool, bench and ottoman for Poltrona Frau.
gallery gallery
Grapy armchair for Gan by Gandia Blasco.
gallery gallery
The designer with the Hole table for Kristalia.