Akira Isogawa

Akira Isogawa (五十川明, Isogawa Akira, b. 1964) is one of Australia's most prominent contemporary fashion designers. Born in Japan, he immigrated to Australia in 1986, studying fashion at East Sydney Technical Collage drawing from inspiration from contemporary Japanese design. He also opened up a store in Woollahra, Sydney, in 1993. By the late 1990s, international sales and recognition established his reputation. His commercial fashion label, Akira, concentrates on women's fashion.

As well as commercial success, Isogawa's designs have been exhibited in a number of major Australian galleries. He has also worked as a costume designer for the Sydney Dance Company.

His clothes appear under his own label and are sold both in Australia and New Zealand. He is one of the few Australian designers to exhibit and sell his clothing in Paris, arguably the world's high fashion capital. The designer's clothes are sold in 12 countries around the world. Isogawa's clothes draw on a variety of inspirations, notably his experiences growing up in Japan. It's well known that Akira also works closely with, and is also influenced by the creative direction of Christiane Lehmann, a collage artist with a very eccentric sense of style, whom is commonly referred to as his muse over the last decade.

Isogawa recently collaborated with Australian airline, Qantas, to develop luxurious new accessories for First and Business class passengers that travel with the airline.

In 2003, he was honoured on a commemorative Australian postage stamp, along with other Australian fashion designers, Collette Dinnigan, Carla Zampatti, Joe Saba, Jenny Bannister and Prue Acton.

A number of his lavish costume creations while a student survive in a well catalogued retrospective of the RAT Party era kept at Sydney's Powerhouse Museum.

External links

• Akira label website
• Akira Isogawa exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria.
• Akira Isogawa designer profile at Fashion Model Directory
• Akira SS 08/09 collection gallery - Harper's BAZAAR
• Lucire magazine interview with Isogawa
• Three Layer Cake interview with Akira
• Interview with Akira Isogawa on Australian Edge