Yoshiyuki Miyamae, renowned for his innovative and experimental creations, has once again left a mark on the runway. His designs for the resort 2017 Issey Miyake collection explores a spectrum of colors and a play on textures. Famed for designing clothes that “fill the wearer’s heart and life with joy and excitement,” Miyamae uses sculpted silhouettes and contemporary patterns to execute a brilliant show. Infusing each element with graphic prints and drawing on African textiles and tribal aesthetics, the attention is clearly focused on print effects. To make the graphic prints more vibrant, Miyamae played with textures and his signature three-dimensional technology. His clever executions and focus on patterns intrigued me to embed that creativity into my own wardrobe.
Taking some (or actually a lot) of inspiration from the runway show, I stocked my summer wardrobe with as many graphic prints as my hands (and my wallet) could hold. Mixing these patterns with a variety of textures, picking an outfit cannot be any easier! Embracing the true art of graphic prints, there are two key things to take note of: 1. Do not be intimidated by the print (celebrate your boldness!) and 2. Do not compete with the rest of your ensemble. The playful and bright kaleidoscope prints add their own edge and attitude to any outfit. Since each article of clothing can be a fashion statement on its own, keeping the rest of the look low-key is the best way to let the prints do the work!
Channeling my inner Yoshiyuki Miyamae, one of my go-to summer outfits is this one piece from Zara (my absolute favorite store—thank you Barcelona for the introduction!) A shorts-meets-dress combo, this piece makes an effortless, tasteful statement. The vibrant explosion of orange and blue graphic triangles and squares really makes my outfit pop. Taking my own advice, I let the busy pattern do the work for me by paring it with simple accessories. To complement the blue in my main piece, I decided to add my sky a blue, saffiano leather cross-body Michael Kors bag to tie the outfit together. I also wore my orange Steve Madden wedges to exemplify the fresh summer look. To finish the outfit, I added gold earrings, a bracelet and two gold necklaces because hey, why not use both!
Get My Look: 1. Graphic print dress. 2. The perfect summer wedges. 3. Classic cross-body bag.
