Miyake's vision is shaped by the complex and ageless Japanese search for shibusa, ultimate beauty and harmony. The simplicity, humility, meaningfulness, tranquility, commonness, spontaneity and irregularity inherent in shibusa are timeless qualities that do not reveal themselves all at once. Shibusa can be achieved only by a maker who, after decades-if not a lifetime-of practice, is an undeniable master of his craft. For Miyake, the quest is relevant today. Attuned to the tools of his metier, he explores the technical possibilities of the newest fibers, weaving, dyeing and manipulation methods. His designs link the complexities of contemporary life to traditional aesthetics. Their unsuspected depths spark the imagination. 

The unique modernity of Miyake's work is due in part to his fusion of two diametrically opposed conceptions of the relationship/dissociation between the body and clothing. After centuries of wearing the kimono, the Japanese came to view clothing as a thing of independent shape and beauty separate from the body. Traditional garments emphasized continuity rather than change, and when change did occur, it was usually expressed in surface embellishment. The creation of a traditional kimono requires a thorough understanding of the materials and processes involved, as is the case in Miyake's designs. Like the kimono, his garments respect the inherent qualities of fabrics and ignore gender, age and stereotypical body shapes. 

Miyake learned the opposite conception, a close relationship between body and clothing, when he trained in the ateliers of Givenchy, Laroche and Geoffrey Beene. The European worldview places an ideal body at the center of a continually changing structured world. Garments tend to change shape as well as embellishment. From this heritage, Miyake reclaimed the body and inserted it into his design equation. He refuses, however, to impose a shape on the body. Instead, Miyake opens a dialogue with the wearer by creating garments that are works in progress waiting for the form and movement of an individual body to complete. Unlike most other designers, Miyake acknowledges that the final results are not his to dictate. 

Miyake is unique. Embracing the social disruption and technological advances of contemporary life, he forged his own approach. Few other designers have distanced themselves from trends as he has, or have granted themselves the freedom to differ from the norm. In today's fashion world, with its insatiable appetite for change, Miyake is faithful to his vision. His garments combine the electricity of the modern world with the spirit of traditional Japanese art. They embody volume, movement, freedom and energy.