Dress to impress: 30 years of Japanese fashion

London – The Barbican has opened its latest exhibition, Future Beauty: 30 Years of Japanese Fashion. Key pieces from the most prominent Japanese fashion designers of the past 30 years are on show in four sections that address recurring themes in Japanese design – In Praise of Shadows, Flatness, Tradition and Innovation, and Cool Japan.

As well as displaying breathtaking works from fashion royalty Yohji Yamamoto, Issey Miyake and Rei Kawakubo, the Barbican worked with the Kyoto Costume Institute in Japan to dedicate an area of the exhibition to the next generation of experimental Japanese fashion designers, including Tao Kurihara, Matohu and Mintdesigns.

Architect Sou Fujimoto designed the space, where visitors are guided around the exhibition with huge draped pieces of white veils and an eerie sound installation composed by Janek Schaefer.