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Takizawa Era Ending at Miyake
from wwd:
Naoki Takizawa reckons that an “experimental spirit and individuality” are the bedrock of the Issey Miyake fashion house. He should know better than anyone, having trained under Miyake himself before being handpicked to replace his mentor.
Now, after seven years at the helm of Miyake’s women’s wear and 14 years at the head of men’s, Takizawa himself is ready to move on. His last collection for the house will be today.
A replacement, generally believed to be someone now in the studio, is expected to be named before the end of the month, marking a second transition since Miyake’s retirement.
Nobuyuki Ota, president of Issey Miyake Inc., said Takizawa’s replacement would need to shore up the house’s DNA while “developing something attractive which is quite different from any other house. From the beginning, [the house’s] reason for existing has been creating a harmony with new technology and traditional craftsmanship of a modern way of life.”
He added the new designer also would need to be pragmatic. “Nowadays, designers have to care more about product than ever,” he explained.
As for Takizawa, he isn’t straying too far from home. He has established his own design studio under the Miyake umbrella, with the aim of starting his own label next year.
“I am excited to start planning a new brand,” said Takizawa, who added that his swan song for Miyake is about “a rose blooming in the desert.”
“Not a rose found in a flower shop or in the gardens,” he explained. “Although it looks fragile, by being exposed to the strong sun and rain, it is quite tough.”
Indeed, Takizawa, known for a whimsical streak grounded in reality, has brought both grace and modernity to Miyake. His most successful efforts referenced sports but were tempered with feminine silhouettes and prints often inspired by nature.
Ota called Takizawa’s time with the brand a success. He said the designer courted new customers by collaborating with young Japanese artists, such as Chiho Aoshima and Aya Takno, as well as with companies like Lee on jeans and Champion for sweatshirts.
Meanwhile, he shored up Miyake’s existing customers by consolidating the Pleats Please business and introducing the Fete line, known for its color and intricate handwork.
Ota said the main collection and Fete generated about $26 million in wholesale turnover in Japan, while the Pleats Please business made another $61 million in Japan. He did not provide figures for the rest of the world.
from wwd:
Naoki Takizawa reckons that an “experimental spirit and individuality” are the bedrock of the Issey Miyake fashion house. He should know better than anyone, having trained under Miyake himself before being handpicked to replace his mentor.
Now, after seven years at the helm of Miyake’s women’s wear and 14 years at the head of men’s, Takizawa himself is ready to move on. His last collection for the house will be today.
A replacement, generally believed to be someone now in the studio, is expected to be named before the end of the month, marking a second transition since Miyake’s retirement.
Nobuyuki Ota, president of Issey Miyake Inc., said Takizawa’s replacement would need to shore up the house’s DNA while “developing something attractive which is quite different from any other house. From the beginning, [the house’s] reason for existing has been creating a harmony with new technology and traditional craftsmanship of a modern way of life.”
He added the new designer also would need to be pragmatic. “Nowadays, designers have to care more about product than ever,” he explained.
As for Takizawa, he isn’t straying too far from home. He has established his own design studio under the Miyake umbrella, with the aim of starting his own label next year.
“I am excited to start planning a new brand,” said Takizawa, who added that his swan song for Miyake is about “a rose blooming in the desert.”
“Not a rose found in a flower shop or in the gardens,” he explained. “Although it looks fragile, by being exposed to the strong sun and rain, it is quite tough.”
Indeed, Takizawa, known for a whimsical streak grounded in reality, has brought both grace and modernity to Miyake. His most successful efforts referenced sports but were tempered with feminine silhouettes and prints often inspired by nature.
Ota called Takizawa’s time with the brand a success. He said the designer courted new customers by collaborating with young Japanese artists, such as Chiho Aoshima and Aya Takno, as well as with companies like Lee on jeans and Champion for sweatshirts.
Meanwhile, he shored up Miyake’s existing customers by consolidating the Pleats Please business and introducing the Fete line, known for its color and intricate handwork.
Ota said the main collection and Fete generated about $26 million in wholesale turnover in Japan, while the Pleats Please business made another $61 million in Japan. He did not provide figures for the rest of the world.
