Ryota Iwai is the founder and designer of AURALEE,
a Tokyo-based label known for its elevated materials, muted confidence, and textural clarity.
Each collection explores the tension between softness and structure — precise, but never loud.
I photographed Iwai-san for VOGUE Korea’s “J ISSUE”,
a feature celebrating 60 years of Korea–Japan diplomatic relations.
The shoot took place inside the AURALEE pressroom —
a space as thoughtful and distilled as the garments themselves.
He was exactly like his clothes: honest, restrained, and quietly elegant.
There was no pretense, no performance — just a deliberate presence.
A kind of clarity that didn’t need to explain itself.
He moved with ease. Minimal adjustments. Nothing excessive.
The portrait appears in the September 2025 issue of VOGUE Korea.
Words by Gayoung Ryu
Photography by Hyojin Jeong
Written by Ina Kong
