This morning a press release popped into our inbox from Yohji Yamamoto’s camp, telling us his first biography, ominously titled “My Dear Bomb” (Ludion Publishers), would be released in October. It went on to say, “This book will allow us to come as close as possible to the man…He is well-known to be against any retrospective point of view. And so does his biography.” So we began to wonder how much we really know about him, other than what we observe at his shows and that he’s a karate black belt (see video below).

Then we remembered that there is, actually, another book about him (it’s mostly photos, and mostly in Japanese calligraphy, so maybe it doesn’t count as a biography). It came out almost ten years ago—and we still have it, miraculously. “Talking To Myself,” as you might imagine, reveals his inner and very perceptive dialogue. Pearlettes of wisdom range from his thoughts on drinking (“Drinking puts me in a cheerful mood. I like all the confusion, like when I have to ask myself who I was or who I am.”) to old underwear (“When my underpants are falling apart at the seams, I don’t know what to do and I get very annoyed, but I can’t bring myself to throw them out.”). Apparently, even when Yamamoto talks to himself, he’s hilarious.

Similarly, “My Dear Bomb” (a reference to his explosive creativity, not actual bombs) follows no chronological order, but provides “radical short fiction mostly based on his live voice, accompanied by some vivid flashbacks of his key moments.” We haven’t the foggiest clue what that means, but given that he revolutionized Western fashion in the 80s, and has a taste for whisky and celebrities, we’re thinking he’s got some pretty fantastic stories to tell. And we’re listening.