Issey Miyake: 45th Ed. Fashion History Book, 1960–2022
Product description
At 6.14 x 1.22 x 8.54 inches, Issey Miyake: 45th Ed. is a compact-format book about the designer’s life and work.
Its scope runs from 1960 to 2022, with attention to the materials and technical innovations behind Miyake’s fashion.
For readers interested in how a designer’s ideas develop across a career, it offers a historical reference rather than a guide to a single collection.
Strengths
The central appeal is the breadth of the subject. The book follows Miyake’s work across more than six decades, connecting his creative vision with experimentation in materials and technique. That makes it relevant to readers who want more than a selection of fashion images or a short biographical overview.
Miyake studied graphic design at Tama Art University in Tokyo before founding the Miyake Design Studio in 1970, which became the base for his work. He later opened the design facility 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT in Tokyo in 2007. These milestones give useful context for understanding the broader design practice covered here, rather than treating the clothes as isolated objects.
The reference was overseen by Midori Kitamura, chairman of the Miyake Design Studio, who worked alongside Miyake for over 45 years. That long association is a notable point for readers looking for a considered account of his work and ideas.
What to know
This is an English-language book focused on Issey Miyake’s history and design approach. What does it offer beyond a designer biography? Its stated emphasis on material and technical innovation gives the account a specific angle, making it suitable for readers interested in fashion design and textiles as well as Miyake himself.
The coverage extends from 1960 to 2022, and Miyake’s life dates are given as 1938–2022. The book is presented as an encyclopedic reference, so it is better suited to browsing and returning to particular aspects of his work than to following a practical sewing project. No page count is clearly provided in the supplied details, so that is not a reliable basis for comparing its size with other books.
Tips for day-to-day use
This book could sit alongside other design references for browsing, study or reading around Miyake’s approach to clothing. A fashion student might use its broad time span to follow how ideas and techniques developed, a general reader could dip into it for context on the designer’s career. Its compact listed dimensions may also matter if shelf space or portability is part of the decision, though the supplied details do not give a confirmed page count.
It makes sense if you want an English-language overview of Miyake’s work with a particular focus on materials and technical ideas. Better avoided if your priority is step-by-step instruction for making garments, as the description presents it as a history and reference rather than a practical tutorial.
What to clarify
What period does it cover? The book traces Miyake’s work from 1960 to 2022.
Who oversaw the book? Midori Kitamura, chairman of the Miyake Design Studio and a colleague of Miyake for over 45 years, oversaw it.
What is its main focus? It is a reference to Miyake’s life and work, with particular attention to material and technical innovation in fashion.
Buying verdict
Choose this if you want a broad account of Issey Miyake’s design career and the thinking behind his material and technical experimentation. Its value is in the historical scope and reference angle, rather than in practical garment-making guidance. If you are comparing it with a narrowly focused book on one collection or technique, this offers a wider view of Miyake’s work, the supplied details do not establish a page count, so readers who prioritise length may want that confirmed before deciding.