July 11, 2005

Naoki Takizawa had several inspirations for the Issey Miyake spring 2006 collection, ranging from abstract art to the gentlemanly sports of golf and cricket. Paint smeared in the models' hair suggested an artist absentmindedly wiping his brush on his head; seams looked drawn on with chalk; the stripes on a linen blazer had a hand-painted quality; and the whites in the collection looked suitable for batting at Brideshead.

On a less conceptual level, Takizawa stated his intention to create menswear that was "playful, elegant and rational," and it was a delight to see him succeed. Ease is a word that is much over-used in the fashion lexicon, but for once, the clothes really justified the term. Jackets were flatteringly tailored to skim the torso, not clench it. Trousers were full, either pleated to achieve the '20s- and '30s-style elegance that Takizawa sought, or pajama-casual with a drawstring and worn with spectator shoes. There were a few of the fabric conceits one expects from Miyake (a black check shirt worn to red at the shoulders and elbows, for instance, or a jacket with creases ironed into the back), but nothing jarred. In fact, Takizawa could easily have added "seductive" to his trio of intentions.

— Tim Blanks