For this Designer Chat, Di Cant recently spoke with Akira Isogawa – an intelligent, inspiring and unaffected young man who has achieved many awards including the Australian Designer Showcase at the NRA Australian Fashion Design Awards 2006 plus many other national awards and international acclaim.
Q. Did the 10-year-old Akira know what he wanted to do when he grew up?
A.I grew up in Kyoto, Japan and as a small boy thought I would be like my father, a public servant. It wasn't until I was 21 years old and came to Australia that I really knew I wanted to be a fashion designer. I studied and graduated from the East Sydney TAFE college.
Q. What has been your greatest fashion moment?
A. 1993. When I first launched my label AKIRA and also opened my store in Sydney. 1996 was also a special time when I was featured in Mercedes Australian Fashion Week in the New Generation Designer Category – from where the international media and buyers noticed my work.
Q. Each new season keeping up these stunning collections, where do the inspirations keep coming from?
A. Everyday life inspires me. The experience of where I am, whom I meet – just every day in life there are inspirations.
Q. Is there a history of fashion design in your family?
A. No, there is no one in my family ever. The family are non-creative types.
Q. Do you use all natural fibres and where do they come from?
A. I source my fabrics from Europe and the Far East – everywhere really. I love beautiful and distinctively different fabrics.
Q. Do you work better alone or with your team?
A. I need to isolate myself to design. With the size and the volume of our business I can't physically do it all. I do have great pattern makers and also sewers with whom I work closely.
Q. Who is the Akira customer?
A. Women who like a unique style of design – simple, well cut clothes in beautiful fabrics.
Q. When travelling to Russia recently what were your impressions of the Russian woman, and is she receptive to international fashions?
A. Yes the Russian women are so eager to "update" their appearance – they are so very keen to invest in their appearance hence they will wear the new international fashion that is now available to them in Russia.
Q. Akira, what is your best fashion travel tip?
A. Like my designs, I travel with basic black, trousers, singlets, tee shirts and jacket and some white shirts – good fabrics and well cut clothes are my best tip for travellers.
Q. Do you have a Muse? Someone whom the collection is designed around?
A. No, not just one special muse – I design with a lot of people in mind.
Q. Who in the world would you most like to dress? And what would she wear?
A. Actors who have that great personal style, such as Cate Blanchett. Friends and family. My mother visited Australia 10 years ago, before she died, and she was so proud of me, but told me my clothes were not her style. Though my sister-in-law loves to wear Akira.
Q. Do shoes and bags play a big part for the lady who wears Akira Isogawa?
A. Yes of course, good quality stylish shoes and bags work well with my designs.
Q. Will you give us a sneak peek into what we can expect from Akira for winter 08?
A. Paris, in February, we will show a distinctive new collection featuring some printed and hand embroided beautiful fabrics. All my printed fabrics are designed here and crafted in India.
Q. What is your own personal style?
A. Like my designs – simple, well cut clothes in good quality fabrics. I wear a lot of black.
What an inspiration to spend time with this man of whom Australia is so very proud. The images with this interview are from Akira's spring collection.
Akira and Akira Red (2nd line), are available at David Jones, QueensPlaza, Brisbane.
Akira, 12a Queen Street, Woollahra, Sydney.
Akira, The Strand Arcade, Level 2, 412-414 George Street, Sydney.
Akira, GPO Melbourne, 350 Bourke Street, Melbourne.
Customers contact: akira@akira.com.au, or tel (02) 9212 1670. www.akira.com.au.
