Irving Penn on Issey Miyake

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An invaluable representation of an important relationship between both artists, this book unites their formidable talents and a relationship that Miyake described as a "silent understanding". kitamura is currently the president of miyake design studio as well as the creative director of the exhibit. In 1986 Penn started to shoot Miyake’s seasonal collections in New York, resulting in advertising campaigns, exhibitions, and publications. During this time in the 80’s Miyake had been working with several ballets and theatre plays doing costume design.

Penn and Miyake kicked it off and eventually Irving Penn flew to Japan to photograph the early days of Miyake’s Design Studio. The collaboration has come to fruition at the end of the century, when the boundaries between East and West, so often challenged by Miyake, are finally being discarded. without penn-san’s guidance, I probably could not have continued to find new themes with which to challenge myself, nor could I have arrived at new solutions. A fine copy, the binding square and firm with slight dustiness along the top and bottom edges of the boards. For ten years Irving Penn – one of the greatest fashion photographers of the post-war era – and Issey Miyake – probably the only designer of the century to take design into the realm of art – have shared an extraordinary collaborative relationship.through the photographer’s lens, the texture, shapes and forms went beyond clothing and instead transformed into art. To keep an unbiased view, Penn never attended an Issey Miyake fashion show, while Miyake was never present at the photo sittings by Penn.

signed and stamped verso: “Irving Penn / IRVING PENN [in a circle]”; inscribed verso: “Print made 1988.

Instead, Penn was supported by representatives from Miyake’s team, makeup artist and photographer Tyen, and hairstylist John Sahag. Legendary designer Geoffrey Beene stated that he admired Issey Miyake for Miyake's technique, this in an interview with poet/artist Steven Vita in Veery journal, 1991.