Deconstructionism in Issey Miyake's Fashion Design

This study aims at analyzing the characteristics of deconestructionism expressed in Issey Myake's fashion who is one of the most creative designers in the world. Method and contents of this study are as follows. Through the review of literatures, three major categories such as interminacy of meaning, decentring, and intertextuality and eight subcategories have been identified as major features of deconestructionism. These subcategories for content analysis were selected to examine the characteristics of deconstructionism expressed in Issey Myake's design in depth. Interminacy of meaning was divided into unstructured and unconstructed factors while decentring into qualities of cross-gender, subculture, anti-fashion, and post-humanism. Lastly, intertextuality was classified into factors of disordered mixing mode and mixed styles. Materials for analysis were chosen from total 349 designs on the website,www.firstview.com, which carries Issey Miyake's collection from 2002 S/S through 2006 F/W. 2 fashion major analysts including the researcher participated in 1st analysis and two another fashion major analysts participated in 2nd analysis. The final level of consistency between analysts was over 97% for all categories. The data analysis quantitatively evaluates the frequency of each category and qualitatively evaluates the characteristics of design. The result is as follows. First, the avant-garde facets of inter-textuality are most prominent. In particular, Miyake has introduced the various novelly textiles to fashion and employed the mixtured styles, not to copy them but to create hybrid designs by using pastiches and mixing fashion styles. Moreover, he has used various fabrics in order to inflict shock and contrast but still create subtle harmony, thus enriching his fashion. Second, the indeterminacy of meaning is the second most frequently shown facet of Miyake's fashion design. Miyake has employed unconstructed expression techniques, which has projected unusual images free from basic forms of designs and also has used the unstructured styles which dismantle harmony and balance-the common rule of design. He has made a new attempt to acknowledge clothing as an expressive artwork by allowing clothes to take a complete form when a person actually wears them. He has demonstrated a unique perspective on cloth construction and presented a love for artistic collaboration in the development of his collections A distinct manufactured aesthetic is exaggerated, even hyperbolic. Thirdly, the aspects of decentralization were also shown in Miyake's design, however, it has been visibly decreased after 2002 S/S.