One of the hot topics of the 2014 Spring/Summer Paris Men's Collection was the appointment of 27-year-old Yusuke Takahashi as designer of ISSEY MIYAKE MEN. His debut show, showcasing traditional Japanese dyeing techniques with a young sensibility, was praised by renowned journalist Suzy Menkes, marking a successful start. Takahashi joined the men's planning team as part of Issey Miyake's "Reality Lab" team from Spring/Summer 2013. For the following two seasons, he and textile engineer Manabu Kikuchi appeared at the end of the ISSEY MIYAKE MEN shows. Therefore, his appointment as designer seemed a natural progression. Even with his training at Reality Lab, Takahashi is still a young man at 27 years old. Having graduated from Bunka Fashion Graduate University (BFGU), this is his third year at Miyake Design Office. Even with his training at Reality Lab, he's still a young man at 27. Normally, this is the stage when people are just beginning to understand what it means to work, and become complacent, unaware of the rigors of the job. Even with veteran staff supporting him, isn't this a little too early? Takahashi himself may be confused by the mention of his age, but it's a concern that everyone has. Takahashi must have had a background that justified his bold promotion. What was his relationship with design and fashion? We delved into this through an interview.
■Winning the Soen Award
In fact, I knew Takahashi from my time at BFGU. A series of events focusing on textiles, supported by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and sponsored by the Organization for Small & Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation, Japan, included a project to take students on a tour of textile-producing areas. As the general director, I helped lead the tour, and Takahashi was among the students who passed the selection process. I remember him opening his portfolio on the bus and asking for my impressions. His enthusiasm, or rather, his positive "ambition," essential for a designer, was apparent from his appearance on the tour.
The portfolio was a submission for the Soen Award, which Takahashi later won in 2009. It was inspired by the "Skin + Bones - Architecture and Fashion Since the 1980s" exhibition, held at the National Art Center, Tokyo in Roppongi at the time. I was particularly impressed by the fresh elegance of the dress. In other words, it possessed a grace and refinement that is rare among young people these days. Deciding on a theme for a work is quite difficult, as that is where the creation begins. Furthermore, researching, digging into, and giving form to a theme is no easy task. From idea to production, it is a painstaking process requiring patience, but Takahashi has managed to achieve it.
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