Dress and bodysuit, Spring/Summer 1999, by Junya Watanabe for Junya Watanabe Comme des Garçons. Cotton-polyester blend, metal rods, cotton. Collection of the Kyoto Costume Institute, AC9762 1999-4-1AB. Photograph by Hiroshi Sugimoto, 2007.

Japanese fashion: It’s more than meets the eye.

Conceived by acclaimed artist Hiroshi Sugimoto, this special exhibition spotlights the sculptural essence of contemporary Japanese fashion through the works of Rei Kawakubo, Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto, and others. Debuting alongside the 21 innovative creations of these celebrated designers are four never-before-seen black-and-white photographs by Sugimoto that capture the garments’ shadows, lines, and fullness of form.

On view exclusively at the Asian Art Museum, this is the first major exhibition to combine the collective talents of such leading Japanese fashion luminaries with new work by Hiroshi Sugimoto, one of today's most compelling artists.

The garments—borrowed from the Kyoto Costume Institute, one of the world's leading repositories of haute couture—date from 1983 to 2007, and include a range of materials and methods from various seasons...all "with textures, colors, and shapes worthy of definition as sculpture."

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Don't miss the concurrent special exhibition, Hiroshi Sugimoto: History of History, which juxtaposes Sugimoto's exquisitely minimalist works—selected from the photographer's past and most recent series—with fossils, artworks and religious artifacts ranging from prehistoric to the 15th century from his own collection.

BROCHURE: In an effort to respect and not distract from the sculptural aesthetic of the garments on view, the Asian Art Museum's installation will be sleek and minimal, with careful lighting to heighten the effect of the shadows, as in Sugimoto's photograhs. The garments will be presented on mannequins alongside the photographs in galleries uncluttered by wall text or labels. Therefore, a complimentary brochure will provide didactic information about the exhibition, the garments, and the designers, and will feature further examples of Sugimoto's new photography not included in the exhibition.

Dress, Spring/Summer 1994, by Issey Miyake. Pleated polyester. Collection of the Kyoto Costume Institute, gift of the Miyake Design Studio, AC11613 2007-2. Photograph by Hiroshi Sugimoto, 2007.

Dress, Spring/Summer 1998, by Yohji Yamamoto. Silk-wool blend satin. Collection of the Kyoto Costume Institute, AC9690 98-19A. Photograph by Hiroshi Sugimoto, 2007.

Sweater and skirt, Autumn/Winter 1995, by Rei Kawakubo for Comme des Garçons Noir. Partially embroidered acrylic knit, nylon tulle. Collection of the Kyoto Costume Institute, AC9273 95-44-2AC. Photograph by Hiroshi Sugimoto, 2007.

Dress and shirt, Spring/Summer 2007, by Tao Kurihara for Tao Comme des Garçons. Paper, silk knit. Collection of the Kyoto Costume Institute, AC11604 2006-31-1AE. Photograph by Hiroshi Sugimoto, 2007. Note: The dress shown here will not be included in the exhibition. It is similar to a dress that will be on display, which was drawn from the same 2007 collection.

Du 2 octobre au 6 janbier 2008. San Francisco Asian Art.