From the meticulously pleated, elegantly flowing pieces of his Pleats Please collection to the sculptural, recycled textiles of his “eco-fashion,” 132 5. ISSEY MIYAKE line, fashion designer, Issey Miyake, has continued to challenge the conventions of clothes-making and fashion textile design, in the process creating some of the most artistic and practical garments ever imagined.
Widely recognized as one of the most creative designers of his time, Miyake, who first made his mark in New York and Paris, is being commemorated in his home country where the largest retrospective of his work to date opened on March 16 at The National Art Center, Tokyo.
In a further honor, the exhibition is the NACT’s first solo show dedicated to a fashion designer. Spanning 45 years of his career, the show goes back to the 1970s when Miyake was experimenting with the possibilities of clothing the body with a single piece of fabric.
There are slinky, “second skin” jumpsuits complete with prints resembling tattoos; shimmering pleated dresses that look like waterfalls in mid-motion; statuesque, three-dimensional origami-like folding skirts, tops, pants; and even lanterns.
In this multimedia slide show, we offer a sampling of the striking, whimsical, imaginative and always captivating Miyake designs on display.
“The Work of Miyake Issey”
The National Art Center, Tokyo
March 16 – June 13, 2016
"I hope people who come to see this exhibition will leave feeling that they want to make something, that this is fun...," Issey Miyake, when asked how he felt about the opening of his show. photo : MM