Mina Perhonen ? (Japanese Edition)

A retrospective look at the timeless designs of Japanese fashion brand Mina Perhonen, established in 1995 by Akira Minagawa to make ''special daily clothes.'' And how truly special, even poetic, the designs are: the book, organized around 50 keywords such as Time, Embroidery, Imagination, Wind or Reflection, reveals the designers' passions in a wealth of dynamic, full color fashion photos, drawings, collages and inspirational images. Plentiful images of textiles and the atelier/factory in action give the story a grounding in real life. Though sometimes called Japan's answer to Marimekko, this stereotype-shattering studio is powerfully individual, with a combination of whimsy and craftsmanship that's simply unique: pieces like the one-of-a-kind appliqued ''bird'' handbags are irresistible. In Japanese only, but the pictures truly tell the story here.