More than just a collaborator

Mihara Yasuhiro S/S 09

For eight years Japanese designer Mihara Yasuhiro has been collaborating with Puma on a line of wildly inventive sneakers that have certainly not gone unnoticed (with features like patterns, drips, fur, studs, stripes and metallics) and he has certainly helped take trainers to the next level. Dazed Digital caught up with the designer as s/s 09 sees the release of his first apparel line for Puma and this made me realise that he is more than just a trainer collaborator. I must admit that I am more aware of his collaborative work with Puma than his own line so the recent DD interview forced me to look at Yasuhiro's line and I'm glad that I did. It is plain to see that Yasuhiro wants to inject romance and some soul into men's dressing and until now it has not been on my radar.

Mihara Yasuhiro's s/s 09 collection was inspired by the charismatic and controversial artist Joseph Beuys. Paint was dabbed on the jersey pile and canvas lace up shoes made the artist theme explicit. The collection saw fine leathers bonded with jersey which were paired with sun bleached trousers...creating a worn, aged and sell-able collection. Personally, the highlights were the jewellery pieces adorning the models designed by Husam El Odeh, his designs have inspired me to experiment more with men's jewellery (of course I will take note of thesundaybest's warnings against piracy).