Bio -
Noriyuki Misawa was born in Miyagi prefecture in 1980. It was a chance connection with a leather shop that sparked his passion for shoe-making. He trained as a shoemaker in Tokyo and Vienna, spending his free time time visiting artists’ ateliers and museums, where he was absorbed by the creative artistry.
Returning to Japan in 2011, Misawa launched his workshop-shoemaker’s class and, aside from making bespoken shoes and teaching shoemaking, he continued to learn under some Japanese artists and craftsmen for 4 years to extend his range of expression. He spent the next 10 years devoted to long and arduous days of training in pursuit of developing his techniques and seeking his own original expression.
Please share a bit about your journey to embrace fashion design as a career.
My mother’s art books surrounded me, and my childhood was spent immersed in crafts and painting. I was very much into hip-hop music, and strove to be a professional DJ during my college days, while studying English literature. That hip-hop spirit nurtured in those days still influences my activities and my art creations. During that time I had a chance encounter with a leather shoe shop, and I jumped onto the path of fabricating shoes. I was fascinated by the “artistry” of shoes expressed in its functional artistry. Since 2011, I have been trying to combine art and shoes and, after the success of my solo exhibition in New York in 2017, I have been actively working on SHOE ART.
How did you learn your skills?
First, I studied at a shoe making school in Tokyo for three years, following by training at a shoe workshop there for another four years. Then I went to Vienna, Austria, for about two years. There I worked in a traditional shoe factory as well as for for a fashionable shoe designer (Brand). After returning to Japan, I started my own workshop while also studying with leather artist.
.jpg "Shoe designs by Noriyuki Misawa")
When it comes to shoes, a difference of just 1mm in size or shape can be the line between comfort and pain. Also, because people walk on the street wearing shoes, they tend to get dirty and wear out easily.
Therefore, considering the shoe's functionality demand more serious thought than in clothing design.
What comes easiest for you as a designer and business owner? What is hardest?
The easiest thing to do as a designer is to keep thinking about new designs. The most difficult thing is that I also have to become a business owner. If possible, I would like to make a living solely as a designer.
Where do you find inspiration for new collections? How important is color to your design process?
I get inspiration from everyday life. For example, my latest work ``EGG'' was inspired by eggs. Year by year, I find myself getting more and more inspired by simple things.
For me, color is rarely the starting point for my design ideas. That may be because I was originally and still am a craftsman. This is very different from fashion designers.
Readers would love to hear about the exhibition you are creating for NYFW as well as the new collection you'll be showcasing there.
I will presenting 10 works of art, including previous pieces and a one piece created for NYFW. The exhibition will be held at Chelsea Industrial, 535-551 W. 2th St., New York, and run from 2 p.m. on the 9th until 1 p.m. on the 10th. An invitation or ticket is required for admission. Email Misawa Shoe Design, Inc. at contact@noriyukimisawa.com.
I will also be one of two designers featured at SHOE TALKS with Noriyuki Misawa & René van den Berg. The evening will offer both a presentation and joint interview. It will be hosted by FIT. Space limited. Thursday, February 8, 2024 from 6:00 PM 8:00 PM. Register through QR code on poster.
I get inspiration from everyday life. For example, my latest work ``EGG'' was inspired by eggs. Year by year, I find myself getting more and more inspired by simple things.
For me, color is rarely the starting point for my design ideas. That may be because I was originally and still am a craftsman. This is very different from fashion designers.
Readers would love to hear about the exhibition you are creating for NYFW as well as the new collection you'll be showcasing there.
I will presenting 10 works of art, including previous pieces and a one piece created for NYFW. The exhibition will be held at Chelsea Industrial, 535-551 W. 2th St., New York, and run from 2 p.m. on the 9th until 1 p.m. on the 10th. An invitation or ticket is required for admission. Email Misawa Shoe Design, Inc. at contact@noriyukimisawa.com.
I will also be one of two designers featured at SHOE TALKS with Noriyuki Misawa & René van den Berg. The evening will offer both a presentation and joint interview. It will be hosted by FIT. Space limited. Thursday, February 8, 2024 from 6:00 PM 8:00 PM. Register through QR code on poster.
.jpg "Shoe designs by noriyuki misawa")
Of course, I like the latest work "EGG". I could say that this work is an evolution of my masterpiece, “Foot’s Nest." For many years, I have been working on the fusion of shoes and art, and the shape I have arrived at after 24 years of shoe making is the ROUND shape.
Where can readers purchase your designs?
We only sell in Japan, but if you would like to purchase, please contact us at New York Fashion Week FW (February 9th and 10th).
What's next for you as a designer and your brand?
My goal is to create completely new shoes that no one has ever seen before.
This is also my goal every time.
In closing is there anything else you'd like to share with readers?
I am a designer with a background as a craftsman, and designers like me are rare. I would like you to see and feel the craftsmanship and artistry of my collection directly at the venue!
Social Media Links -
- Website - www.noriyukimisawa.com/en/
- Instagram - @noriyukimisawa
- Youtube - @noriyukimisawa3420
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