PARIS, Oct 5, 2004/ FW/ --- Iconoclastic and always ready to explore new designs, Naoki Takizawa brought Issey Miyake into new heights of artistry with his Spring 2005 collection based on the concept of clothing as a second skin.

During a rainy night in Paris, Naoki Takizawa brought sunshine and joy to a full capacity crowd at the Carreau du Temple with his flowing gowns with handkerchief hemlines, big hats that covered the model’s faces like a veil, monochromatic color schemes on ruche dresses and skirts, and big flowers created to be tops of skirts that are layered like leaves.

According to the press notes, Naoki Takizawa was inspired by the art of applying make-up for this collection.

Translating a woman’s daily routine of applying lipstick, rouge, powder and base, the Tokyo-born designer broke new grounds in fashion as he spray-painted a tailored jacket and double-draped an evening gown with a removable cape that made it look like a flounce skirt at first. Once the cape was removed, it was a bodice-hugging gown with tiny pleats all over that looked sensual and sexy at the same time.

Yet, Naoki Takizawa was not serious all the time. He added his subtle sense of humor by adding metallic circles as accessories and Hawaiian lei-inspired necklaces, alluding to the cosmetic industry’s packaging and use of flowers as base for scents.

To make his point, the Kuwasawa Design School graduate created a top of two gargantuan cabbage roses (one was white and one was red), paired with a navel baring skirt that was layered like chiseled wood, again a very understated reference to the beauty industry’s use of floral and wood scents with their make up.

And though the collection is beautiful as is, Naoki Takizawa’s thoughtful approach added to the excitement of the collection, because again in a very subtle way, he gave everyone in the audience something to think about.

And that is one of the reasons why Naoki Takizawa is much loved and admired by the fashion flock, and no one dares to miss his show because they might miss something magnificent emerging from his very fertile imagination.

Issey Miyake by Naoki Takizawa

Issey Miyake by Naoki Takizawa

Issey Miyake by Naoki Takizawa

Issey Miyake by Naoki Takizawa