Where Did Issey Come From? The Work of Issey Miyake Kazuko Koike

With his distinctive ideas and innovative way of making things, designer Issey Miyake has been challenging the concept of clothing consistently through his creative exploration. From TASCHEN’s ultimate monograph Issey Miyake (first published in February 2016, concept and editorial direction by Midori Kitamura), this new book recompiles 8 chapters of Kazuko Koike’s essays and an extended, newly-written final chapter.

In this book, essays by Koike, who has been known Miyake since school days and has observed Miyake’s activities since then, wittily describes Miyake’s outstanding achievements and creations in the context of the time background. Written from Koike’s unique point of view as a creator herself underpinning creative culture of the same generation, this can be enjoyed as an interesting documentary of the times.

To mention other special features of this book, around 30 artworks by Tadanori Yokoo, originally used for Issey Miyake’s invitations cards for Paris Collection during the years from 1977 to 1999, are introduced in each chapter. The combination of the stately sense of vertical Japanese typesetting using letterpress printing and sophisticated atmosphere in horizontal English typesetting; virtuosic skills of the graphic designer, Katsumi Asaba further adorn the book with perfection.