If you have total freedom to design, you won't get anything interesting. So I give myself restraints in order to kind of push myself through, to create something new. It's the torture that I give myself, the pain and the struggle that I go through.

In this quote, Rei Kawakubo, the influential Japanese fashion designer and founder of the brand Comme des Garçons, speaks about the creative process and the importance of restraints in design. She argues that total freedom in the creative process can actually stifle innovation, as it may lead to a lack of direction or focus. Instead, she finds that setting restrictions—whether self-imposed or external—can force her to think more critically and push beyond her usual boundaries. By introducing limitations, Kawakubo is able to spark new ideas and create something truly innovative.

Kawakubo’s reference to "torture", "pain", and "struggle" speaks to the difficult nature of the creative process. Rather than seeing these challenges as negative, she views them as necessary elements that lead to deeper creativity. She suggests that discomfort, tension, and even failure are integral to producing work that is fresh, groundbreaking, and different from what has come before. This idea challenges the common notion that creativity flows freely and effortlessly, instead emphasizing the hard work and discipline required to innovate.

The origin of this quote comes from Kawakubo’s philosophy on fashion design, which is characterized by its nonconformity and avant-garde approach. As a designer known for her radical and often unconventional collections, Kawakubo has long embraced the idea that design should be about more than just beauty—it should be about challenging norms and pushing the limits of what fashion can represent. Her work often involves deconstructing traditional clothing forms and creating garments that provoke thought and discussion.

Ultimately, Kawakubo’s statement highlights the importance of constraint in the creative process, emphasizing that real innovation comes not from unrestricted freedom, but from the way we navigate and transform limitations. The struggle she describes is a deliberate choice, a way of forcing herself to move past easy solutions and into more original and compelling territory. This mindset reflects her broader approach to design, where pushing boundaries and confronting difficulty is central to her artistic journey.