Draft:Naoki Takizawa

= Naoki Takizawa =

Naoki Takizawa (Japanese: 滝沢直己, born on the 19th of July 1960 in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese fashion designer, best known for his work at Issey Miyake, Uniqlo and Helmut Lang.

Work at Issey Miyake
In 1983 he designed the „Plantation“ collection at Issey Miyake."Early in my career at Issey Miyake I worked on the brand's Plantation collection of loose cotton clothing. The concept was similar to Sōetsu Yanagi's Japanese mingei [folk-craft] movement of functional, beautiful ceramics and textiles that were often made by anonymous artisans. I like things that aren't perfect but with my own designs I strive for perfection; it's a paradox. A few times customers have told me that my clothes are too refined to actually wear – and they didn't mean it as a compliment."In 1989 he joined the design team of „ISSEY MIYAKE“ and just two years later, in 1991, he became Issey Miyake's design associate. From 1993 he designed "ISSEY MIYAKE MEN" and in 1999 he became Chief Designer/Creative Director of Issey Miyake men's and women's."My name was put under Issey’s name. It was a big pressure for me, because Issey is a great designer. He made history. And you know, he really tried to make very new things, so already people respect him a lot. So how can I continue his level of design? So, I cannot remember the first show. I don't want to remember that."

Work as an Independent with and for others
Meanwhile, he worked on numerous projects with and for others:


 * 2001 Work on the "Libelltre" series with Alain Mikli.
 * 2003 Works included in the exhibition "Yanomami Spirit of the Forest" at the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art.
 * Collaboration with Daido Moriyama on the photo book "Novembre" in 2004.
 * 2005 Collaborated with Kashiwa Sato on the window display for Roppongi Boutique.
 * 2013, as part of Yanmar Co., Ltd.'s centenary brand renewal project, Naoki Takizawa designed groundbreaking marine and agricultural attire. His creation, "Premium Agriculture Wear," is a fusion of advanced materials, design, and technology, with the goal of revolutionizing agricultural work methods. Takizawa's objective was to transform the agriculture industry through the application of cutting-edge technology and intelligent design.

NAOKI TAKIZAWA DESIGN INC.
In 2006 he founded NAOKI TAKIZAWA DESIGN INC. as a subsidiary of ISSEY MIYAKE.

Since then, the brand has been involved in various collaborations, while also producing its own collections from 2008 to 2012.

His design office, also specializing in designing uniforms for various sectors like museums, restaurants, hospitals, train car attendants. His notable project in 2017 involved creating over 20 unique uniforms for Train Suite Shiki-Shima, including those for train conductors and engineers, with both Summer and Winter variations for each role.

„Functionality informs the shape; the design follows“ - NAOKI TAKIZAWA, 2017

Takizawa approaches his design process similarly to developing a fashion collection. He analyzes the clothing requirements and aims to create functionality through materials and cuts in a way that ensures the comfort of the working personnel as much as possible.

Collaborations

 * During his time from 2009 to around 2013, Naoki Takizawa occupied the role of Project Professor at the Department of Intermediatheque within The University Museum at The University of Tokyo.

Work at Helmut Lang
In 2010 Takizawa became the creative director for “HELMUT LANG MENS LINE”. He aimed to address a gap in the contemporary market. This decision follows the successful development of the women's line by Michael and Nicole Colovos after Theory acquired the brand in 2006, with Takizawa chosen for his understanding of Helmut Lang's history and his commitment to advancing the brand while respecting its heritage.

Since 2010, Naoki Takizawa has been the wardrobe designer for Empress Michiko of Japan, creating original clothing for her.

Work at Uniqlo
During his tenure as creative director at Uniqlo from 2011 to 2014, Takizawa aimed to develop a new approach to the company's clothing. With the concept of LifeWear, he created a new category to convey Uniqlo's clothing. Functional apparel that promptly meets customer needs at any time took precedence, while simultaneously attempting to transcend trends and place the product itself at the forefront. Takizawa and his team achieved this vision by taking a differentiated approach to Western clothing, reimagining the wearers' needs. He emphasized that with LifeWear, the complete focus is on the product, and the story behind the product becomes the wearer's personal narrative. This approach signifies a fundamental shift in thinking about clothing, where the manufacturing process is continuously adjusted to meet these ideals.

Naoki Takizawa served in 2014 as the Design Director for Special Projects at UNIQLO and was involved in a special collection collaboration with Inès de la Fressange for UNIQLO. In 2015, he took on the design direction for a special collection in collaboration with Carine Roitfeld for UNIQLO.

Awards

 * In 1998 he was awarded the 16th Mainichi Fashion Award.


 * Won the New York Dance and Performance Award (Bessie Award) in 1999.


 * In 2007, he was awarded the title of Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight in the Order of Arts and Literature) at the Musée du quai Branly in Paris.