"Very elegant." Yusuke Takahashi said that more than once when he was talking about his intentions for his latest collection of menswear for Issey Miyake. It's true, there was definitely something sharper, more structured, more architectural about the clothes this season. The windowpane suits and stand-collar jackets were as sharp as a tack. The rich purples and blacks (some with the dark sparkle of rain on asphalt) upped the sophisticated urban feel. That was a distinct departure from the usual artisanal bent of his collections. Takahashi amplified it with his use of silk from one of Japan's oldest silk factories, which lent a sleek sheen to the pieces. A photo print from Satoshi Fujiwara added a new pop of gloss.
One inspiration was Charles Rennie Mackintosh, the Scottish architect whose visionary work in the early 20th century was influenced by Japanese design. Takahashi repaid the debt by reworking Mackintosh's signature Art Nouveau grids and ovals in an impressive jacquard. He referenced Mackintosh's dandyism in the silky scarves, the plus fours, the Scottish plaids abstracted in huge blanket wraps, and the dévoré velvets in the rose motif that was a favorite of the architect's. Takahashi's rigor and Mackintosh's richness made a provocative Tokyo-meets-Glasgow match.
