First and foremost I want to say thank you to Issey Miyake for the beautiful pieces and collections he gave us, they were truly beautiful. Born on April 22nd 1938 in Hiroshima, Japan he experienced the bombing at a very young age which impacted his life tremendously. Miyake was known for his technological advances on his designs. Originally wanting to be a dancer, Miyake did not start his interest in fashion until he started studying his sister’s magazines. He went on to study graphic design and eventually graduate with a degree in 1964 from the Tama Art University in Tokyo. Miyake would enter his designs in a few competitions but ultimately not win them due to his lack of pattern making and sewing skills. This only pushed him to apply to a fashion school in Paris where he would hold apprenticeship to Guy Laroche and Givenchy.
It wasn’t until 1969 where Miyake made the big move to New York where he enrolled in English classes in Columbia and worked for Geoffrey Beene. Returning to Tokyo in 1970, this is when he founded the Miyake Design Studio. Inspired by designers like Isamu Noguchi and Madelein Vionnet newness and geometric designs. During the 80s, Miyake started experimenting with new methods on pleating that allowed advances in flexibility and movement. He was credited as being one of the two people to reinvent the Mariano Fortuny pleats. (The other being Babette Pinksy). Miyakes methods of pleating are done by the garment being cut and sewn first then placed together between layers of paper and then put through a heating press.
Through Miyakes’s new method of making clothing he realized that it was perfect for dancer. The costuming for the dancers was what birthed “Pleats, Please”. The “Pleats, Please” clothing line brought us the pleated black pants that I feel like everyone and their mom either wants or has. Not only were these garments comfortable but they were geared to be accessible as this is something that Miyake believe in when it came to his clothing. Issey Miyake believed that the most modern thing was to dress everyone in the most beautiful clothes. He made comfortable clothing that even people like Steve Jobs adored as his go to was a black Miyake turtle neck. Besides the clothing, Miyake ventured into perfumes, watches, etc. I remember being introduced to the designer through his fragrance and Bao Bao bags. Issey Miyake would eventually retire from fashion in 1997, he wanted to continue to do research. On August 5th 2022 we lost our wonderful designer to liver cancer. Miyake was an extremely talented designer who spent his life creating beautiful clothing to forget the bombings he experienced as a child. He created beauty with everything he did.
After what almost feels like a year from my last “Introductions” post, I’m surprised it took me this long to write about my favorite brand. My obsession with the brand started off as a joke. Being obsessed with fashion at a young age caused a lot of “The Devil Wears Prada” jokes with me. Thus creating interest in the brand.
Founded in 1913 by Mario Prada, the brand originally specialized in leather handbags, travel accessories, etc.Their first shop was called “Fratelli Prada”, translating to Prada brothers, was owned and operated by Mario and Martino Prada. There is where they sold animal goods, English steamer trunks, and handbags; something that was very common for famous brands during this era. Mario believing women shouldn’t run the company eventually passed the brand onto his daughter, Luisa Prada, when his son didn’t want it. (The irony of it all). Through Luisa is where we are given Miuccia. Born as Maria Bianchi on May 1oth, 1949 in Milan to Luigi Bianchi and Luisa Prada. She would later take the name Miuccia Prada in the 80s after being adopted by an aunt. Miuccia was the youngest of three, older siblings including Albert and Martina.
Surprisingly Miuccia had very little interest in fashion at the beginning. Graduating with a PhD in Political Science from the “University of Milan” her career did not push her in the realm of Prada until later on in life. She trained as a mime at the “Teatro Piccolo” and performed for five years, was a member of the Italian Communist Party, and was involved with women’s rights movements in the 70s. It wasn’t until the mid-seventies where Miuccia would take over the family business. During this time she met Patrizio Bertelli who had started his own leather good business at the age of twenty-four and would eventually become her business partner and future husband. Patrizio was the one to advised Miuccia on the end of steamer trunks and change the products of the brand. This is what lead us to the infamous nylon bags.
By 1979 Miuccia released the first collection of backpacks and totes made of nylon. This is the same nylon that was used as coverings for the trunks. Ten years later in 1989 the first women’s ready-to-wear collection would be released. This collection was known for their dropped waist and narrow belts. The brand would gain popularity for their clean lines and basic colors. Prada in a way is considered “Ugly Chic” mixing the old and new the ugly and chic. They are all about function rather than beauty. Towards the 90s is where Prada really starting gaining its popularity. With fashion in this era being loud and full of many colors, Prada brought the opposite. Being in a way, the ugly duckling which is what made them more interesting. A lot of earlier collections resonated with audiences due to the fact that it was perfect for the every day woman.
The brand continues being a leading force in fashion due to the juxtaposition in collections and overall aesthetic. Not just women’s ready-to-wear but men’s as well. Not to mention Prada Sport and Prada Linea Rossa. Prada Sport was sportswear line created in 1998 that now does not produce as much as before but is still in effect. Prada Linea Rossa has caught the eye of streetwear culture and is kind of what took over Prada Sport when Barrett left the company. As well as Miu Miu, which is viewed as a little sister to the Prada line (I’m obsessed with both). Other than clothing, the company has “Fondazione Prada” which is an institution devoted to artists in Milan. Raf Simons has joined the Prada team and we’re just getting a feel for what he will bring to the brand. With only a few collections from the duo I still don’t have an opinion on his impact but so far so good. The one thing I love about Prada is the variety in aesthetics, as someone who likes to dabble in all it’s nice to have a brand that does that in such a way that I feel compliments my personal style.
Before I continue with this post I would like to make a disclaimer, the topics of suicide and rape will be talked about. If you or a loved one are struggling, please do not be afraid to seek help. You are loved and you’re not alone please remember that. Discretion is advised.
Born on March 17th 1969 in Stratford, London, England Lee was the youngest of six children. As a child he had interest in clothing and design, opting to make skirts for his sister. One of his sister’s quoting that the skirt was very tight but very fitted to her body and she often got compliments on it. Having a Scottish background he took a deep interest in the history of the McQueen name, this would later on influence one of his collection’s as well. He trained in Savile Row a street notably known in London to have the best tailors. Anderson and Sheppard taught him his expert ways of cutting and tailoring garments a skill that would later distinguish him as the designer he was.
Lee studied at Central Saint Martin’s School of Art. Although he was afraid at how he would pay for school since the tuition was high, he later received help from his aunt. At Central Saint Martin’s he flourished. The was a portion in the term where students would go to Paris and were suppose to view exhibitions but Lee spent his time trying to get into runway shows. There he criticized which he liked and disliked and eventually adapted his style for his future runways. For his graduation collection Lee did a show called ‘Jack the Ripper Stalks His Victims”, a collection influenced by the murderer. These pieces that stalked down the runway had a gothic victorian aesthetic to fit the era for Jack the Ripper. It’s also important to note that Lee sewed pieces of his hair into the garments. This being in reference to prostitutes, many of Jack’s victims, selling their hair in the Victorian era. Isabella Blow later bought his whole entire graduation collection.
This purchase and interaction was crucial for Lee as it was the start of a beautiful friendship. Isabella Blow was a stylist and English editor that would almost credit herself as being the person who discovered Alexander McQueen. As Issie wore the pieces Lee would gain publicity for his next collections. Spring/Summer 1994 collection titled “Nihilism” is where we’re first introduced to the “bumpsters”. The pants that took the late 90s and early 2000s by storm as they were the reason why low rise jeans were so big. McQueen lowered the pants so low that on some models you can see the start of their pubic hair, he did this in order to elongate the torso. In his earlier days Lee often would not show his face due to the fact that during this time he was living off of unemployment and would use the money for his shows. So the beginning of his career, he came off as this mysterious up and coming designer. Often expressing himself through the clothing, stating that if you wanted to get to know him then just look at his pieces. Lee’s pieces were emotional to say the least, there was always something he wanted you to feel. A perfect example of this is his 1995 Autumn/ Winter collection titled “Highland Rape”.
Highland Rape was influenced by the McQueen Scottish background. Telling the stories of the Jacobites, essentially the English committed rape and genocide on the Scottish clans. Up and down the runway the models walked frantically in clothing pieces tattered in rips or stains to show the marks of rape. In a way people also believe that this collection was influenced by Lee’s past experiences. At a young age he was abused by his sister’s first husband, likewise for his sister. People believe that he expressed that pain and torment in many of his collections including this one. Fast forward to 1997, Lee was crowned the creative director at Givenchy. He changed the notorious house in many ways than just the aesthetic. Lee’s interaction with the staff and his humble ways brought a different dynamic to the house. Many past creative directors were looked at and spoken to like royalty but Lee built relationships with the workers at the atelier. While at Givenchy, he would also work on the McQueen collections. Taking the money he received from Givenchy and putting it into the McQueen brand. Releasing the collection “The Jungle is Out” for the McQueen brand to reflect the criticism he received for his first Givenchy show.
The McQueen brand was known for the outrageous, which at times is something that didn’t sit well with consumers of a heritage brand like Givenchy. At his time in Givenchy, Lee release collections like Joan for the McQueen brand which was based off of the story of Joan of Arc, with the finale being a model in a red gown with a face covering and flames circling around her. As well as N0. 13, a collection where the finale was a model with a white gown who would stand on a spinning table top and have robots spray the gown with black and green paint. His 2001 Spring/Summer collection “Voss” was a show that really had people in shock. Lee was under a lot of pressure from both brands and turned to cocaine as an escape from all the pressure but this turned his collections dark. For the Voss collection the set design was a box within a box. The audience was greeted by the mirror image of themselves when they entered in. Once the lights turned off the models walked around in the box but could not see the audience. The box was designed to look almost like a psychiatric ward and the finale had the middle box fall open to display a naked women swarmed by moths mimicking the photograph titled Sanitarium done by Joel Peter Witkin.
Eventually leaving Givenchy and partnered with the Gucci group, Lee had a more freedom now that it was just his brand and his brand only. With one of his next bigger collections titled “La Dame Bleu”, a collection dedicated to his late friend Isabella Blow. Isabella had past away in 2007 initially from ovarian cancer but the coroner later ruled it to be suicide. This destroyed Lee thus the collection dedicated to her. This death changed him in many ways than one. With the continuation of the use of cocaine Lee sought out to change his appearance. He became thinner, changed the way he dressed and felt as though he had to change himself to fit into the industry. As quoted in the documentary, it was as though Lee had gone mad. Spring/Summer 2010 collection, “Plato’s Atlantis”, was a collection depicting a “post-human manifesto”. This was the first fashion show ever to be livestreamed, with one of the pieces making an appearance in Lady Ga Ga’s Bad Romance. This for me was how I was first introduced to the McQueen brand as Lady Ga Ga wore a lot of his pieces in her early years.
On February 2nd 2010, Lee lost his mother. Lee’s mother was one of the most important people in his life he was immensely distraught after her passing. Just 9 days later on the Eve of his mother’s funeral, Lee took his own life leaving behind the legacy of the McQueen brand and just 16 pieces for his next show. I don’t want to end this post on a sad note. I want us to recognize the artistry and creative mind that was Lee. He is one of my favorite designers and in my mind a genius. He understood clothing in a different way and actually viewed it as an art form for self expression. In my mind he’s one of the greats of our generation. If you want to learn more about Lee I suggest watching the McQueen documentary on Hulu as well as the Savage Beauty Met exhibit that you can view on Youtube.
As some of you know, last year I started my Introductions series where I introduced you to black designers or other notable individuals in the fashion industry. I did this in light of everything that has happened this time last year. I want to shed some light on young designers or people in fashion that I feel everyone should know. Willi Smith, at the time of his death, was regarded as one of the most successful African-American designers. As I listen to podcasts and read fashion articles, I couldn’t help but ask myself, “Why am I just now learning about Willi Smith?”
Born on Feb. 29th, 1948 in Philadelphia to an iron worker father and homemaker mother. His grandmother was a house keeper for a family that was close to the designer Arnold Scaasi. Through this connection, Smith received an internship at Scaasi. Later in his life he studied art and design at Parson’s, but would eventually drop out to do freelance work. His inspiration was literally from what peoplewore in the streets of New York. Smith’s first big break as a designer was for a brand called Digits, a clothing brand targeted to junior’s sportswear.Smith was the lead designer from 1969-1973. In 1970, while still working for Digits, he met Laurie Mallat while she was on holiday. Smith hired her to be a design assistant for Digits in 1971. Mallat would eventually go on to be a life long business partner.
In 1976, Smith and Mallat traveled to India to produce a small collection of women’s separates. Thesuccessful collection birthed WilliWear. Smith was credited to be one of the first designers to have both men and women’s clothing under their brand. The first WillieWear show was done in Hollywood Solomon Gallery in Spring of 1978. This collection was based off of nautical uniforms and Southeast Asian attire. In 1983, Williwear released a major collection called Street Couture. That same year Smith became the youngest designer to win a fashion critic award. He brought street fashion on to the runway, which was something that hadn’t being done at the time. Smith often said “I don’t design clothes for the queen but for the people who wave at her as she goes by”. Willi Smith would eventually pass away on Apr. 16th, 1987 after acquiring shigella and pneumonia on a fabric search in India. He was hospitalized for these infections and tested positive for AIDS. He passed away the following day. Though Smith is now passed, his legacy in the fashion world continues to live on. He was one of the first African-American fashion designers to create clothing that was inspired for and created for every day people. His designs constantly blurred the lines in the gender norms of streetwear clothing.
No, you did not read the title incorrectly. This is not going to be a post about James Charles. This is my introduction on Charles James a designer who was excruciatingly critical to a lot of designers. Born as Charles Wilson Brega James on July 18th, 1906. He was an English-American designer know for his ballgowns and “highly structured aesthetic”.
At age 19 James opened his first milliner shop in Chicago going under his father’s name “Charles Boucheron”. His reason for doing this is because his father prohibited James from ever using the James name. Although this didn’t stop him, you’ll learn that James is a tad bit rebellious. Later in 1928 he left Chicago for Long Island with only 70 cents in his pocket, a Pierce Arrow, and a few hats. While in New York he set up shop over a garage in Queens where he began his first few dress designs. During this time of his life he presented himself as a “Satirical Structural Architect”. It wasn’t until 1930 where he would design a revolutionary dress. The zipper dress and the taxi dress are pretty important in the fashion world if you ask me (even though I don’t feel as educated as the rest of them). You can see the dress at The Met since this year theme was About Time: Fashion and Duration. “So easy to wear it could be slipped on in the backseat of a taxi”.
From New York James later moved to London and opened another shop in Mayfair. There he dressed Baba Beaton and created a modern interpretation of the white wedding dress. The wedding dress had a raised neckline and divided train. Fast forward a few years, in 1936 James established his company as “Charles James” (there’s that rebellion). During that year he spent time in Paris where in 1937, he showed his first collection. The same year James created a one of kind satin quilted jacket which was considered the starting point of the “anoraks spaceman and even fur jackets”. Salvador Dali described it as the first “soft sculpture”. (It basically kind of looks like a puffer jacket). Along with the satin quilted jacket, another revolutionary piece created in the 30s was the “Pavlovian” waistband, essentially a stretchy waistband.
James’ final move to New York was in 1939 where he also established his company. There he became a licensed fashion designer with American department stores like Lord & Taylor as well as Bergdorf Goodman. Additionally, he received a Neiman Marcus Award in 1953 which was the same year he created the “Four Leaf Clover” dress that was said to be inspired by 1860s silhouettes. This is actually one of my favorite pieces of his. James is said to have transformed the fashion world with the way he designed his pieces. From being the influence for Christian Dior’s “The New Look” to having a whole Met Gala devoted to him titled “Charles James: Beyond Fashion”. Wrap dresses and strapless gowns are one of the few silhouettes James brought that innovated the fashion world especially with the way they were structured. These silhouettes that many designers mimic to this day. Charles James was simply “an artist who happened to be working in fashion”.
Edward Kobina Enninful was born February 22nd 1972 in Ghana, Africa. He is currently known as the editor-in-chief of British Vogue and the youngest fashion director at i-D magazine, a position which he held for two decades.
Enninful’s moved to Ladbroke Grove, London early in his life, with his parents and five siblings. Enninful’s mother was a seamstress growing up. The colors and fabrics of the pieces she made for her British-Ghanaian friends often inspired him. At 16 Enninful was spotted by stylist Simon Foxton on a train and two weeks later also spotted by a model scout. He had to tell the model scout that he was already scouted by Foxton. This was the push into his fashion career. A week later he would shoot with Foxton. Enninful described his brief modeling career as a “baptism into fashion”. By age 17, he was introduced to Trish and Terry Jones of i-D magazine. This introduction would soon have him assisting i-D fashion director Beth Summers. Enninful finished college with a degree at Goldsmith, University of London while also juggling a modeling career and assisting on shoots with Foxton and Summers. Summers eventually left the magazine a few weeks after Enninful’s 18th birthday. Terry appointed him fashion director then and there.
Working at i-D magazine at 18 made Enninful the youngest fashion director ever at an international publication. Known for his edgy elegance, most of his inspiration came from the streets. These looks he features in his stories helped influence the grunge movement during the early 90s. By 22, Enninful worked for Calvin Klein on their advertising with Craig McDean and makeup artist, Pat McGrath. Enninful was consulted for numerous ad campaigns such as: Comme de Garcon, Christian Dior, Dolce and Gabbana, and Celine to name a few. His March 2009 issue of i-D was especially big, it was titled “The Best British” where he worked with photographer Solve Sundsbo and made 12 separate covers of British Supermodels.
In 1998, Enninful became a contributing editor to Italian Vogue, or Vogue Italia. He stated that working with editor-in-cheif Franca Sozzani and photographer Steven Meisel really matured him as a stylist. Being there he was part of the production of their “Black Issue” where they featured only black models. He described his intentions as “ending the white-out that dominates the catwalk and magazines”. This issue was so successful the Conde Nast had to print 40,000 extra copies. In 2006 Enninful also became contributing editor for American Vogue, you can spot him the docu “The September Issue”. Five years later in April 2011, he was announced as fashion and style director at W where he was known for his risky editorials. He helped revived W during the recession.
Finally on April 10th 2017 he was appointed as editor-in-chief of British Vogue, being the first ever black editor-in-chief. During this success he even took time to thank Andre Leon Talley and stating that he “paved the way” for him to get as far as he is now. In July 2020, Enninful was a victim of racial profiling in his own work place when a guard did not allow him entry at the British Vogue offices, the guard lost his job. This was quite shocking coming from a Conde Nast publication as they wouldn’t want to be portrayed in the media as a racist publication, but as I said the guard lost his job and we can only hope that nothing of this sort will ever happen again. It’s wonderful to see the successes Enninful has achieved, I’m very excited for what the future has in store for him.
Tati Violet 