AI TOMINAGA
She made her international fashion debut at seventeen, rose to fame at twenty, and returned to the fashion world after a brief hiatus at the age of thirty-seven. As a model, 冨永愛Ai Tominaga is an Asian icon; as a woman, she learns how to proceed from her failures, never stopping regardless of the obstacles.
dress RICK OWENS,
shoes JIMMY CHOO
Photographer: KINYA
Interviewer: JESSICA XU
GROWING THROUGH FAILURE
Last September, Ai Tominaga was named the official ambassador of Paris Fashion Week in Japan, an unquestionably invaluable accolade from the Western fashion industry to an Asian model. For Tominaga, who has worked in the industry since she was fifteen years old, the honour was a fitting tribute to her dedication and hard work.
The term ‘supermodel’ is generally based on brand endorsements, the number of fashion shows attended, and the number of commercial campaigns shot. However, rankings are constantly updated and replaced, and as time passes, only those who have an unwavering position in fashion’s frontline will be referred to as ‘supermodels’. The title is only bestowed to those who are seen as a “classic, timeless muse”.
dress and belt ALAÏA,
earrings and rings BIJOU DE M,
bustier STYLIST'S OWN
Tominaga, known for her androgynous look and ideal body shape, is one of the most iconic Asian supermodels of the last fifty years. She was one of the first Asian faces to appear on the international editions of fashion magazines such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and ELLE. Her presence can be seen on the runways of fashion houses such as Christian Dior, Gucci, Givenchy, Alexander McQueen, and Valentino. The fashion industry collectively regards her as an incomparable Asian muse.
Although Asian faces are not uncommon on the runways of today’s fashion weeks, strutting around the catwalks of different brands, this was not the case twenty years ago. Competing against the majority for a seat, Asian models were extremely rare in the Western-dominated fashion industry back then. Those who eventually won the battle received a life-changing ticket – it was their key to the doorway of the Western fashion world.
Tominaga was one of the lucky ones who won. The young woman from Kanagawa, Japan, entered the modelling industry during her adolescence. At age fifteen, she considered herself to be “just the right height for a model”. As she gradually familiarised herself with the rhythm of the industry, she was enthralled by the boundless opportunities. At seventeen, Tominaga debuted on the international stage, walking for Luca Luca at New York Fashion Week.
“Up until that point, I had only walked for Tokyo Fashion Week, so I was surprised by the difference in scale. When I reached the end of the runway, dozens of cameras flashed at me. I got goose bumps all over my body with excitement. That was the moment I couldn’t help thinking how incredible it was to do this job and that this was my destiny,” Tominaga recalls.
full look VALENTINO
Among the many shows in which Tominaga has appeared in, Alexander McQueen's A/W 2003 was the most special. A season inspired by travellers crossing the desolated lands of Siberia, Tominaga was chosen as the model for the finale. Dressed in a delicately embroidered kimono that draped loosely around her body, she trudged slowly through the whirlwinds of a transparent tunnel to close the show. “For me, that was the most memorable moment of all the shows I've worked with [Alexander McQueen] on. The scene where he personally chose me to be the finale model pops up in my mind, whenever I recall my what happened then. It’s an once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Tominaga says. “In the transparent tunnel, I felt as if I had been transformed into some other special existence, with a strong wind blowing relentlessly at me while wearing a haori kimono as thick and heavy as a futon. I wasn’t a human being anymore, and I believe that was the vision he always wanted to pursue.”
The most memorable shoot of her career was not a magazine cover, but a group editorial with other models for American Vogue in the early years of her career. Photographed by the renowned Annie Leibovitz, she remembers it being silent as all the models held their breaths. Everyone quickly delved into their appropriate emotions once they were in the right positions, without needing to communicate much with Leibovitz. “It was that moment I thought, ‘this was the pinnacle of the fashion industry’,” Tominaga recalls, “and I was incredibly moved by the fact that I was part of it.”
coat and skirt ERDOS,
shoes JIMMY CHOO
full look ERDOS
“After becoming a mother, I felt that I was no longer living merely for myself, but for others too. Motherhood is the greatest love, and to be able to feel this emotionally, it was pure happiness and joy.
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Tominaga married in 2004 and gave birth to a boy the following year. She chose to take a three-year hiatus in order to spend more time with her son. A three-year break is rather risky for a model as new faces appear every day and could replace her anytime. Despite the risk, Tominaga considers the moment her son was born to be “the most important moment of my life”. “After becoming a mother, I felt that I was no longer living merely for myself, but for others too. Motherhood is the greatest love, and to be able to feel this emotionally, it was pure happiness and joy.” In October 2005, the twenty-three-year-old caused a stir walking down Kenzo’s S/S 2006 runway with her son in her arms, who was only a few months old at the time. In 2013, she announced her retirement from the fashion industry to concentrate on caring for her son. Six years later, in 2019, she appeared as a guest at the Paris Haute Couture fashion week and made her official surprise comeback by closing the Armani 2020 Cruise show.
cape and neck warmer TAKAHIROMIYASHITA THESOLOIST,
body shaper ALAÏA,
shoes GIANVITO ROSSI,
stockings STYLIST'S OWN
Turning thirty-nine this year, Tominaga still maintains an unmistakable presence and popularity in Japan and abroad – a success she attributes to her dedication to modelling. In Uwa! Damasareta Taishou, a Japanese variety show in which the crew tries to deceive celebrities in their everyday lives, celebrities are often unaware they have been tricked until staff members show up with a sign. In 2012, the show invited Tominaga to shoot the cover story for Against, the show’s fake magazine. During the shoot, the crew deliberately activated a wind blower, which they gradually increased the speed up to 30m/s. Despite being soaked to the skin and shaken by the wind so violently she could barely stand, Tominaga maintained a charming smile, and posed professionally, showing a commitment to fulfilling her duties.
dress and stocking TOM FORD,
necklace BIJOU DE M
In addition to modelling, Tominaga has worked as an actress since 2003, appearing in a number of films and television series. In the 2021 television series Oh! My Boss! Love is a Separate Album, her role was to play herself – a supermodel shooting the cover story of the series’ fictional magazine. When asked about her most memorable role to date, Tominaga answers “Linda Machiko Richard”, the editor-in-chief of Marie Claire Dining in the 2019 television series, Grand Maison Tokyo. A complex character, Richard is the ex-girlfriend of the main character, Natsuki Obana, played by Takuya Kimura, and the two have several rivalry scenes. This was also her first time appearing in a prime-time broadcasted series. However, when asked to differentiate between the roles of actor and model, she replied modestly, “modelling is a job that requires only one person to 'perform', whereas actors require the presence of others for the story to stand. That’s all I can tell you right now because I don't know enough about acting yet.” Later, she adds, “However, now I am filled with interest for acting and would like to try more things.”
blouson UNDERCOVER,
rings (right hand) BIJOU DE M,
other rings MIO HARUTAKA
Tominaga, who is approaching the age of forty, believes that the true essence of life lies in the need to move forward. “The term ‘age’ refers to the amount of experience you’ve gained along the way, where success is determined by what you’ve encountered.” Evidently, Tominaga's life is filled up with countless unique experiences at various stages of her life. Her adolescence was the start of her career, “endeavouring and fighting against all odds”, it was a time when she gradually explored who she was in the midst of difficulties; in her twenties, “a hesitant stage but unceasingly forging ahead”, she committed to the best choices for herself, stepping into marriage and childbirth at the peak of her career. Now nearly in her forties, she has returned to fashion with enthusiasm and courage to start again. She titles the era: “growing through failure”.
Ai Tominaga is undeniably a fashion icon for many, yet she does not think herself as such, owing to a distinct Asian trait of modesty. “I’m not special,” she adds, “If you ask me how I want to be remembered, I believe people can do so through their own definitions.”
This profile was published in The WOW N° 5.
Issue5 available now.
TALENT: AI TOMINAGA
PHOTOGRAPHER: KINYA @ MILD INC
STYLIST: RENA SEMBA
HAIR: TETSU @ SIGNO
MAKE-UP: KOUTA @ GLASS LOFT
CASTING DIRECTOR: DAISUKE SHIMANA
SPECIAL THANKS: IINO STUDIO