Akira Isogawa

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Akira Isogawa (1964 – ) is one of Australia's most prominent contemporary fashion designers. Born in Japan, he immigrated to Australia in 1986, studying fashion at East Sydney College and setting up a store in Woollahra, a suburb of Sydney, in 1995. By the late 1990's, international sales and recognition established his reputation. His commercial fashion label, Akira, concentrates on women's fashion.

As well as commercial success, Isogawa's designs have been exhibited in a number of major Australian galleries. He has also worked as a costume designer for the Sydney Dance Company.

His clothes appear under his own label and are sold both in Australia and internationally. He is one of the few Australian designers to exhibit and sell his clothing in Paris, arguably the world's high fashion capital. The designer's clothes are sold in 16 countries around the world. ^[1]

Isogawa's clothes draw on a variety of inspirations, notably his experiences growing up in Japan. It's well known that Akira also works closely with, and is also heavily influenced by the creative direction of Christiane Lehmann, a collage artist with a very eccentric sense of style, whom is commonly referred to as his "muse" over the last decade. It's not confirmed if their long relationship is romantic.

Isogawa recently collaborated with Australian airline, Qantas, to develop luxurious new accessories for First and Business class passengers that travel with the airline.

In 2005, he was honoured on a commemorative Australian postage stamp, along with other Australian fashion designers, Collette Dinnigan, Prue Acton, Joe Saba, Carla Zampatti and Jenny Bannister.