Evgenia Raven Illustrates Issey Miyake’s "[N]either [N]or" Collection: A Fusion of Fashion and Art

March 31, 2025

The world of fashion illustration thrives on its ability to capture movement, form, and emotion, transforming garments into visual poetry. With Issey Miyake’s Autumn/Winter 2025-2026 collection, "[N]either [N]or," celebrated illustrator Evgenia Raven takes this artistry to new heights, reimagining the collection’s sculptural garments through her expressive and fluid strokes.

Miyake’s latest collection, under the creative direction of Satoshi Kondo, was a breathtaking exploration of transformation, inspired by Austrian artist Erwin Wurm’s interactive One Minute Sculptures. The runway show at Paris Fashion Week defied conventional presentations—models became living sculptures, twisting, folding, and reshaping their garments in real-time, emphasizing the malleability of fabric and form. Raven’s illustrations masterfully translate this kinetic energy onto paper, capturing not just the designs but the philosophy behind them.

Illustrating the Movement of Fashion

Raven’s work is known for its ability to convey movement—an essential quality for interpreting Issey Miyake’s avant-garde creations. Using a combination of bold linework, fluid brushstrokes, and strategic use of negative space, she brings to life the collection’s signature elements: voluminous pleats that shift with every step, sculptural coats that wrap the body like living architecture, and knitwear that morphs as it’s manipulated.

Each illustration serves as a testament to the interactive nature of the collection. The garments are not merely depicted statically; instead, Raven captures them mid-transformation, emphasizing their dynamic potential. Her use of color and shading mirrors the lightness and structure of Miyake’s fabric innovations, reflecting the tension between rigid form and effortless movement.

Blurring the Boundaries of Fashion and Art

The collaboration between Issey Miyake and Erwin Wurm challenged traditional fashion norms, asking viewers to reconsider the role of clothing beyond its functional purpose. Raven extends this dialogue through her illustrations, translating the collection’s artistic essence into a visual narrative that exists beyond the runway.

Her work does more than document the collection—it enhances it, offering a new perspective on the interplay between art and fashion. Much like Miyake’s garments, Raven’s illustrations invite the viewer to engage with the artwork, interpreting movement, volume, and space in a way that feels immersive and alive.

Fashion Illustration as a Contemporary Medium

In an era dominated by digital media and photography, Evgenia Raven’s work reaffirms the power of fashion illustration as a vital storytelling tool. Her interpretations of "[N]either [N]or" remind us that illustration is not just about replication but about distilling the essence of a collection, preserving its emotional impact in ways that a photograph cannot.

By illustrating Issey Miyake’s latest collection, Raven ensures that the artistic conversation between fashion and illustration continues to evolve. Her work stands as a bridge between the ephemeral nature of a runway show and the timeless artistry of illustration, proving that fashion is not just something to be worn—it is something to be experienced.