This jacket was designed by Issey Miyake (born 1938). Miyake established the Miyake Design Studio in Tokyo in 1970 after serving an apprenticeship in Europe and New York. He is a leading international fashion designer whose garments are often inspired by aspects of Japanese tradition, culture and aesthetics.
Along with Yohji Yamamoto and Rei Kawakubo, Issey Miyake stunned the fashion establishment in the early 1980s with collections that challenged conventional (Western) notions of dress, revoking traditional forms of tailored garments intended to fit body contours. The designs of their garments were often monochromatic asymmetrical, unstructured and oversized.
The piece forms part of The Gene Sherman Collection of Japanese fashion and accessories, with a focus on the work of Issey Miyake, Yohji Yanamoto, Comme des Garçons and the Japanese-Australian designer Akira Isogawa, formed from the mid 1980s to 2004. The Collection reflects Sherman's individual style as well as her appreciation of Japanese design. Dr Gene Sherman is Director of Sherman Contemporary Art Foundation (SCAF) in Paddington, Sydney. Its predecessor, Sherman Galleries, founded in 1986 was one of Australia's major commercial art galleries until its closure in 2007. As director of Sherman Galleries, Dr Sherman organised many exhibitions of contemporary art from Australia and the Asia-Pacific region and has played an important role connecting art and artists in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. Dr Gene Sherman was a trustee of the Powerhouse Museum from 1995 to 2001 and special advisor to the Museum from 2002 to 2004. Born in South Africa, Sherman lives in Sydney with her husband Brian Sherman.
Ref. Mitchell, Louise (ed), The Cutting Edge. Fashion from Japan, exh. cat., Powerhouse Publishing, Sydney, 2005
The Jacket was designed by Issey Miyake in Japan in 1989 for the 1989 Autumn / Winter collection. It was made in Hong Kong.
Dr Gene Sherman has been collecting avant-garde Japanese fashion for over 20 years. Dr Sherman bought her first pieces of Japanese clothing at Rhonda Parry's boutique in Double Bay in the mid 1980s. Since then, she has primarily worn clothes designed by Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto and Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons. Gene Sherman maintains a wearing wardrobe of approximately 20 pieces. She has said "when I acquire something, I retire a piece into my archive". Sherman had boxes made to museum standards and stored 'retired' pieces from the collection in her attic.
Referring to this garment Gene Sherman has said: "Issey Miyake. Leather short evening jacket with 1 sleeve. Bought in Double bay at Rhonda Parry approx.1989. Worn often. Finally retired." (Gene Sherman collection note book 2009/16/62)
"Rhonda Parry in Double Bay had this tiny little shop on the corner of Transvaal Avenue and Cross Street, in that little area that is almost like an enclave. I saw some things in the window that looked fascinating. It must have been school holidays, I was still teaching at Ascham in '85 and I decided I was going to treat myself.. I was exhausted having recently finished my doctorate - the demanding school term was over - and I had been taking full responsibility for the family whilst Brian travelled to the USA incessantly, building up his business. I found garments by Miyake and they fascinated me … I bought several things there over the next year or two including this jacket. Rhonda was rather eccentric. The shop was often closed. There was a sign on the door saying "back in five minutes"; you went to have a quick cup of coffee and even then she didn't appear. It was a real challenge and it entailed commitment to shop there. Understandably she didn't last. The shop was simply called 'Rhonda Parry'...She was clearly not a businesswoman but she did have an eye …." "I wore it quite a lot. It was very early days.. I didn't have anything else in relation to Japanese fashion design....however, I was always interested in design and mostly wore skirts. In 1976 when we arrived from Johannesburg, I had work by a few South African designers. I was wearing fullish skirts then. In Sydney I brought a Prue Acton Leather skirt which I still wear every winter - some 33 years later! And from the very beginning, simple plain tops....Gradually I found more Miyake clothes .., I started veering towards his particular palette, which was invariably, but not exclusively, black." (Interveiw with Gene Sherman by Claire Roberts, 15 December 2008)
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