Issey Miyake: catching up with the man who pushes the envelope of fashion - Crossing, Boundaries - Interview

Interview, Nov, 2001 by Ingrid Sischy

IS: What's so interesting about that moment from the late '60s to the early '70s is that it was also a great moment for art and technology. It was during this period, of course, that the group known as Art and Technology was formed. Now people have forgotten about the revolutionary work of those artists, but it's interesting to think about in the context of what happened in fashion.

IM: When I was working in Paris, you know, everything was done by hand, but once I discovered the importance of technology I couldn't go back.

IS: Do you think it's because you're from Japan that you're so tuned into all that?

IM: I was probably influenced subconsciously by the technology that was exploding in Japan, because I was very aware of Sony and the other technology companies coming out then. Of course, that's something that's only clear to me in hindsight. At that time in the early '70s I was searching for a new way of doing things, and I wanted to find a new expression that was different from what had been done before. There were so many new things happening in the world of technology, but it seemed that the fashion world was still stuck in trends. I wanted the work that I was doing to be connected to the people of our times.

IS: What's so interesting to me is that here's this young designer from Japan who goes to work at Givenchy, this classic French house that's all about maintaining the old values, and yet you wanted to change the world. So take us back to that first collection you designed under your own name.

IM: I made my first collection for New York. I'll never forget it. I brought it to New York in January--one of the pieces was all polyester, but just one size and all hand-made. Because I knew I couldn't do eight and make them all incredible, I went for just one size and to do something really great. It was revolutionary at the time.

IS: Did people say to you, "What is wrong with you, are you crazy? You have to do a range of sizes."

IM: Yes, but I think they understood me because stores like Bloomingdale's immediately started working with me.

IS: To get them as a client then was a really big deal!

IM: Yes. And they gave me great exposure. I'll never forget it--I made a tattoo dress that was inspired by Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin. They had both died in '70, so I wanted to do it because I think tattoo is like an homage. So I took these Japanese traditions and made them contemporary.

IS: What's interesting is that you've always had a following among creative people. This happened very quickly in Japan when you began. For example, I know that the important new architects, writers and photographers of the time in Japan all loved your clothes. And, as another example, in the '80s the New York art world fell in love with your work. To this day, at important art events one sees the loyalty that artists and gallerists feel towards your work. They're wearing it.

IM: It's the only way I could work.

IS: You mean that if you were going to work in fashion, you wanted to be connected to a community of creative minds?