Hasta La Ideas

Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka has sent this letter and video asking for donations to the Red Cross for disaster relief following the earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Japan.

Can’t see the movie? Click here

Here’s the letter in full:

Dear friends,

As you may already have known, Japan was hit by the largest earthquake ever recorded on Friday, March 11th.

The huge quake and devastating tsunami has left the overwhelming damage to the country and we are still facing this terrifying conditions.

As I have received the message from all over the world, I would like to take this opportunity to extend my sincere appreciation for your warmest concerns.

This is the time for us to think what we can really do. I have thought what I could do now, at this moment.

I believe that there would be more than just watching the situation of this disaster on television to help the lives of people there. I know I am not in place to ask such thing, yet one of the thing that we can do for the people in the afflicted area is to donate for their relief and recovery.

There are babies in need of milk, people who has lost their families, and houses.

Here are links to the donation for the relief and recovery of the Japanese earthquake and Pacific tsunami afflicted region:

Japan Red Cross Society »
American Red Cross »

We truly appreciate your support, even the very small support from your pocket, for the relief and recovery of my country.

Deepest regards,
Tokujin Yoshioka

See also: Help Japan Poster by Wieden + Kennedy

Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka designed this boutique to display fashion designer Issey Miyake’s 132 5. collection of garments, which fold from two-dimensional geometric shapes into structured clothes (see our earlier story).

Taking the same name as the collection, the shop displays each garment on a transparent mannequin suspended from the ceiling, with folded versions laid alongside and an iPad to explain the construction process.

Photographs are © Yoshinaga Yasuaki.

See all our stories about Tokujin Yoshioka »
See all our stories about Issey Miyake »

The information below is from Yoshioka:

Tokujin Yoshioka x 132 5. ISSEY MIYAKE

The first store for “132 5. ISSEY MIYAKE” designed by Tokujin Yoshioka has been launched.

“132 5. ISSEY MIYAKE” is a new label and a new evolution of “A piece of Cloth” by Issey Miyake, based on the ideas of “Regeneration and Re-creation.”

“Way of selling” is the concept of this space rather than the superficial interior design.

The clothes are displayed on five transparent torsos, which are strung down from the ceiling.

Customers can access freely to the computer graphic images of the complicated process on the iPad installed in the store.

The display of the process from 2D to 3D is as if it is of the Japanese Kimono store.

See also:

.

More about 132 5. by Issey Miyake	24 ISSEY MIYAKE Shop by Nendo	Pleats Please Issey Miyake by Tokujin Yoshioka

Dezeenwire: at Tokyo Designers Week later this month Thomas Heatherwick is to be named Designer of the Year and Tokujin Yoshioka is to be named Artist of the Year in the Tokyo Design & Art Environmental Awards. See press release below.

See all our stories about Thomas Heatherwick »
See all our stories about Tokujin Yoshioka »

TOKYO Design&Art ENVIRONMENTAL AWARDS

Greetings from the organizers of Tokyo Designers Week. With our deepest respect and gratitude, we are proud to announce the winners of this year’s TOKYO Design & Art ENVIRONMENTAL AWARDS including Designer of the Year and Artist of the Year.

With the launch of TOKYO Design & Art ENVIRONMENTAL AWARDS in 2010, TDW is taking a big leap forward and sharing our vision for the future… With the outstanding contribution of our selection committee, composed of 264 international jury members and 30 corporations & organizations from diverse backgrounds and experiences, the final award winners have been selected:

Designer of the Year: Thomas Heatherwick
Fields: Architecture, Product Design, Installations, Sculpture

Established by Thomas Heatherwick in 1994, Heatherwick Studio is recognized for works in architecture, sculpture, urban infrastructure and product design. The practice operates from a studio and workshop in Kings Cross, London, where a team of architects, designers and makers work on projects ranging from bridges and buildings to products and large scale works of public art. This is an environment where project management and implementation takes place in parallel with model-making, prototyping and experimentation with ideas, materials and manufacturing processes.

Artist of the Year: Tokujin Yoshioka
Fields: Art Installations, Product Design, Package, Interior, Display, Architecture, Exhibition

Mr. Yoshioka has collaborated with international companies around the world. Many of his works are in the permanent collections in the major museums including MoMA. He was chosen as the “Designer of the Year 2007” at Design Miami. He was also selected by the Japanese edition of Newsweek as one of the “100 most respected Japanese by the world.”

TOKYO Design&Art ENVIRONMENTAL AWARDS CEREMONY

On Friday, October 29th TOKYO DESIGNERS WEEK will host the Designer of the Year Award ceremony with the winner Thomas Heatherwick. The following evening, October 30th, Tokujin Yoshioka will be be presented the Artist of the Year award. A party to celebrate both winners will follow the award ceremony on 10/30 at Meiji Jingu Gaien in the TDW-DOME. If you are planning to travel to Tokyo, we will mail you invitations, so please do not hesitate to contact us

TOKYO DESIGNERS WEEK2010
Designer of the Year Award Ceremony : October 29th (Fri) 18:00～
Artist of the Year Award Ceremony : October 30th (Sat) 18:00～
Party to honour both winners : October 30th immediately following the ceremony

Lacation : Meiji Jingu Gaien, Tokyo Designers Week Main venue, TDW-DOME.
Organizer : DESIGN ASSOCIATION NPO

Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka will launch a collection of transparent polycarbonate furniture at the Kartell showroom in Milan next month. (more…)

Tokyo Designers Week: designer Tokujin Yoshioka talks about being a pioneer in this short interview commissioned for the Tokyo Designers Week official guide, produced by Dezeen. (more…)