Kozaburo Honors AAPI Heritage with Perry Yung
May 29, 2025
Emilyn Edillon
What inspired you to center this project around Perry Yung and the Shakuhachi flute?
I first heard about Perry from the show “Warrior,” when he played Father Jun. His performance was great, and he had such a strong but Zen presence. Later, I found out that he played and crafted the Shakuhachi flute. That’s what really struck me. It’s not just a musical instrument, but it has its roots in Zen practice. The monks would play the flute to bypass time and meditate. For me personally, music and its sonic experience have always been my creative inspiration and spiritual connection. So when I spoke to Perry about this instrument, he shared a lot of beautiful stories about the flute, eastern philosophy, spirituality, and meditation. This resonated with me a lot, especially in centering stillness and mindful presence.
What conversations or reflections do you hope inspires, both within the AAPI community and across the broader creative landscape?
In the New York fashion scene, it can get pretty chaotic and overwhelming. So, for me, I wanted to explore a different side–one that makes room for stillness, presence, and mindfulness. I think these values tend to get lost in the noise. But they hold great influence in empowering how we, as artists, both within and outside the AAPI community, create, connect, and show up in the world. Ultimately, I hope it encourages us all to embrace our inner strengths because there is so much beauty in subtlety and stillness despite all the chaos.
There’s a meditative quality in both your work and Perry’s music. What was it like to see those two energies come together in the streets of New York?
From our very first meeting, Perry brought a calm energy that naturally sort of set the tone. Even during our conversation and interview about this project, it felt like reconnecting with an old, trusted friend. And so when we came together during the shoot with a team of mostly young Asian creatives, the exchange of energy flowed effortlessly. His professionalism was admirable as well, both in and out of the studio. I felt like I was learning a lot, even from his general openness and organic interactions with random strangers here and there. Overall, we had lots of fun running around the streets of New York shooting this.
Your brand often highlights individuals with strong identities, artistry, and personal stories. Why are narratives like Perry’s meaningful to you as a designer, and how do they influence your creative direction?
Perry’s story resonated with me on many levels, not just as an artist within the AAPI community, but really as someone who moves through the world with deep mindfulness and compassion. It’s something my brand has been exploring for a while now, this idea of Zen.
Credits:
Talent, Voice: @perryyungofficial
Director: @kozaburo_official
Producer/AD, Editor, Sound: @ziihanliu
Photographer: @bogusluck
DP, Color: @annannputtithanasorn
Photo Assistant, AC: @craigcudi
HMUA: @vanessalistyle
Production Assistant: @hannah__wu