MANILA, Philippines — Designer Mihara Yasuhiro has always been the type to experiment and think out of the box. A graduate of Tama Art University’s textile design program, Yasuhiro became known for his unique approach to footwear, and since launching his eponymous shoe label in 1997, he has created some of the sneaker world’s most artistic pieces, some even in collaboration with prominent shoe brands such as Puma and DC Shoes.
While his love for shoes put him on the map, Mihara Yasuhiro also branched out into clothing and debuted his menswear RTW line at Tokyo Fashion Week in 1999, and in 2004, had his first appearance at Milan Fashion Week. His label has evolved to eventually include womenswear in 2010. Here in the Philippines, Maison Miharayasuhiro is made available to the local market via Assembly, Suyen Corporation’s luxury multi-brand store concept.
Yasuhiro enjoys exploring the duality of expressions—like how a shoe or an article of clothing can be both artistic and practical.
Yasuhiro describes his brand with only three words: sublime meets ridiculous. He enjoys exploring the duality of expressions—like how a shoe or an article of clothing can be both artistic and practical, for instance—which is something he continues to do through his art. For his high fashion label’s spring/summer 2020 collection, the designer is all about deconstruction and irregular proportions. An assemblage of asymmetrical cuts, graphic prints, loud colors, and mismatched fabrics are ready to make their way down the Bench Fashion Week runway as Mihara Yasuhiro graces the bi-annual event on Aug. 31. Collection highlights include long jackets and billowing trench coats, two-toned shirts, leather biker jackets, bowling shirts, track pants, baggy cargos, and various graphic-heavy pieces.
The Japanese designer also looks forward to seeing the local fashion scene, primarily through this year’s Bench Design Awards. Yasuhiro, along with New York-based Chicano designer Willy Chavarria, will be part of the design competition’s esteemed panel of judges as it officially concludes on Sept. 1.
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Select Maison Miharayasuhiro pieces are available at Assembly Rockwell Power Plant, The Podium, S Maison at the Conrad Hotel, and SM Aura Premier. For more details and drops, be sure to check out @assembly_philippines on Instagram.