Issey Miyake Case Study

Issey Miyake is a Japanese fashion designer known for his technology-driven clothing designs, exhibitions and fragrances based in Tokyo. He was born on the 22nd April 1938 in Hiroshima, Japan. It is said that his fashion shows are of a high performance. “The high-octane physicality of their performances was dazzling—the fact it didn't overpower the rest of Fujiwara's clothes underscored the strength of this collection. In a season full of references (twenties, forties, and, of course, eighties), it was refreshing to see something that looked so contemporary.” This quote shows Miyake and Fujiwara collaborated on their fashion shows that they were praised for. Miyake oversees the overall direction of all lines created by his company, even though the individual collections have been designed by his staff since his 'retirement' from the fashion world in 1997.

When Issey Miyake entered university and obtained Western magazines, he was inspired by the fashion photographs of Richard Avedon. One of Issey Miyake’s signature styles is pleating. “Pleating, a Miyake signature, was used here in concertina like fashion on sleeves and pant legs, articulating movement in odd places like forearms and calves”. This means that he uses pleats in his garments which create movement in places that you wouldn’t normally find. He is also known for blending the flowing fabric and textile designs of the east with modern technology and production methods of the west. He has experimented with natural and synthetic fibers and advanced textile science. Miyake’s main inspiration is technology. We can see this through his many clothing designs. It was the American occupation in Japan that gave Miyake an introduction to western culture, because he worked with European and American designers. They had taught Miyake a way of viewing fashion that stood in contrast to that of his Japanese culture, which held no distinction between fabric and body shape.

Issey Miyake's designs are an expression of the art of the designer and the wearer. Japanese designer Issey Miyake had 69 designs published by Vogue Patterns Spring 2000. Miyake is a winner of nearly every fashion award. He is known to dislike the title "fashion designer" and prefers to be considered an artist whose medium is fabric.

I looked at you tube at the Issey Miyake Fashion Show: Women's Ready to Wear Autumn/Winter 2010/11 and I liked most of his collection as it had elements of pleating. His designs were simple and elegant. All his collection are different but all have a little section of pleating which links the whole them together and makes him distinctive. The runway had a set which was made up of different patterns which fitted in well with the theme.

References 

http://groehm.tripod.com/miyake/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Issey_Miyake

http://www.fashionwindows.com/runway_shows/issey_miyake/default.asp

http://www.style.com/fashionshows/review/F2009RTW-ISMIYAKE/

Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/issey-miyake#ixzz1HzXiGlPp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMneAQsAZUA&feature=fvst - Issey Miyake Fashion Show: Women's Ready to Wear Autumn/Winter 2010/11