Issey Miyake exists as a designer in the most literal interpretation of the word. His clothes do not exist to put forth a narrative as those of Ann or Raf do, but rather to display marvels of technical skill and innovation. His career has been propelled by a desire to explore fabric and construction techniques, and how they interact with their wearer’s body. In recent years, Miyake has completely disassociated himself from the label, choosing to strictly to work on developing new fabrics. His scientific approach to expression of beauty has found him many vaunted kindred spirits, including Steve Jobs, whom he designed his iconic black turtlenecks for.

In the buildup to the 1992 Summer Olympics, an unlikely partnership was formed between Issey Miyake and the country of Lithuania. Running with an idea originating from their team doctor, Miyake designed the country's Olympic uniforms. He subsequently expanded the project’s scope for his SS1993 collection, where he presented pleated uniforms like the one displayed above for a number of different countries. Miyake went as far as to declare sportswear the clothing of the future, with his imagination stimulated by the field’s innovations in function and material. Miyake's courtship with sportswear marked an intrinsically natural pairing, as he has always been forward-thinking with regards to fabric and material, approaching the medium with a blend of conceptual and technical thought similarly pervasive through the field of athletic wear. Though where Miyake does so in pursuit of art, those creating sportswear do so in pursuit of performance, both sparsely-defined yet idealized properties which merge in his conceptions of Olympic jerseys. The jacket above is self-evidently his reimagining of Switzerland’s jersey, and it features an zippable hood which falls evenly atop the flag affixed to the back.

Condition: 10/10. Brand new with original tag attached.

Tagged size: M

Shoulder: 26in

Pit to pit: 30in

Length: 30in

Sleeve: 24.5in