PARIS — Issey Miyake Inc. said on Thursday that Dai Fujiwara would succeed outgoing design director Naoki Takizawa, in the Japanese house’s second change of creative guard since its founder stepped aside seven years ago.
Fujiwara’s appointment also marks the second time the house has promoted inside talent to the top spot.
Takizawa, who presented his last Miyake collection in Paris last week, was Miyake’s long-time design assistant before he replaced his mentor.
Fujiwara joined the house in 1995 and collaborated on the launch of the A-POC line in 1998, for which he has since been co-creative director with Miyake, who continues to have a hand in the project.
Fujiwara’s first collection for the Miyake brand will be during the January men’s show in Paris, to be followed by a women’s collection in Paris in March.
Nobuyuki Ota, president of Issey Miyake Inc., said Fujiwara was “instilled with Mr. Miyake’s spirit of exploration and joy of making things,” and that he knew how to “combine new technologies with existing traditions.”
Ota said Fujiwara would continue in his role with the A-POC line.
Takizawa, whose time at the helm has been considered successful in shoring up the brand’s DNA, isn’t straying far from the house; he is set to launch his own brand under the Miyake umbrella sometime next year.
Ota earlier this month said Miyake’s main collection and its Fete line generated $26 million in turnover in Japan, while the Pleats Please business made another $61 million. He did not provide figures for the rest of the world.