Why pieces from this Australian designer could soon be worth thousands
Akira Isogawa is a name in fashion that needs little introduction. The subject of two major exhibitions, one at Melbourne’s National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) in 2004 and the other at Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum in 2018, and included in multiple exhibitions worldwide, every new collection was greatly anticipated.
Isogawa’s trajectory from 1988 when he established his business to opening his store in Woollahra in Queen Street in 1993 and showing on the catwalks in Paris in 1998 was a spectacular feat, given he only arrived in Australia from Japan in 1986.
Fleur Watson, associate professor of architecture and urban design at RMIT University, has long been a fan of Isogawa’s designs. Credit: Simon Schluter
“Australian Fashion Week (AFW)in 1996 was a pivotal moment for me presenting as part of five designers in the new generation group show,” says Isogawa, whose East-meets-West style of fashion – including the use of vintage fabrics, many of which come from kimonos – pre-empted the use of upcycling in fashion by decades.
Key buyers in the audience at AFW, initiated by Simon Lock, included the prestigious boutiques Browns in London, Biffi in Milan and Club 21 in Singapore.
The price tags for Isogawa’s designs, given their hand-crafted nature, with many being one-offs, were priced accordingly: $1500 to $2000 for an evening dress (a considerable amount in the 1990s) to his later more commercial ranges produced for David Jones (varying in price from $600 to $1000).
Some of these pieces can be found in major fashion collections including at the NGV, the Powerhouse Museum, and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. One who recognised his talent early in his career was Fleur Watson, curator, author and an associate professor of architecture and urban design at RMIT University.
For those who are fortunate to have Isogawa’s clothing in their wardrobes, the label goes well beyond the price paid.
She first came across Isogawa’s work while working as editor of design magazine Monument, based in Sydney’s Surry Hills, close to Isogawa’s atelier. She was also starting to see his work featured in Australian Style as well as other glossy fashion magazines.
“I still recall seeing his work in a collaboration with Graeme Murphy’s Sydney Dance Company (1998). It was just fluid and spatial seeing his clothing literally in motion with the dancers,” says Watson.
Her first piece from Isogawa was in the early noughties. The three-quarter-length tunic with a peony print for approximately $200 was followed by a simple Bonds singlet embellished with appliqued flowers.
A tad more expensive is the silk tunic, purchased for around $350, with its reverse double-sided kimono fabric. “I still wear a number of his designs,” says Watson, referring to her appliqued calico skirt with its triangular hemline, which was north of $500 at the time.
“Akira creates a preciousness to even the simplest fabrics, such as calico or cotton. I always feel like I’m the wearer, rather than the garment wearing me,” adds Watson.
Another piece that’s still cherished is her three-layered silk organza jacket, in three separate complimentary autumnal hues. “He’s also a master of folding and cutting,” says Watson, emphasising the delicately distressed edges and exposed threads on all three layers.
Andrew Shapiro, managing director of Shapiro Auctioneers, has sold a number of designs by Isogawa, with many on the secondary market selling for between $200 and $500.
Akira Isogawa.Credit: James Brickwood
“Those who have Issey Miyake and Yohji Yamamoto in their wardrobes are also looking to add to their Akira collections,” says Shapiro, who feels the prices for Isogawa’s designs are likely to double, reaching closer to $1000 in the next couple of years.
“The exhibition at the Powerhouse Museum certainly increased interest in Akira’s work, not just with Australians, but those living overseas.”
In more recent times Isogowa has again collaborated with the Sydney Dance Company and, until recently, had an archive store in Sydney’s Strand Arcade – with many evening and wedding dresses, some of which were vintage, selling for up to $5000.
In mid-2023, Isogawa took a back seat in the fashion industry, focusing more on artistic collaborations and individual clients from his Marrickville studio. “I think from the start I was considered for having a ‘unique eye’, fusing the Australian and Japanese aesthetic,” says Isogawa.
For those such as Fleur Watson who are fortunate to have Isogawa’s clothing in their wardrobes, the label goes well beyond the price paid.
“Akira’s designs are a significant contribution to the story of fashion in Australia and represent an important part of our collective culture, working across a number of creative disciplines,” she says.
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