Made in Japan : The Textiles of Jurgen Lehl

Edition : First / Tokyo / Parco / 1983 / Softcover. / VG+ / VG+
Small square 4to, Unpaginated (ca 120pp). Printed wraps in Printed dustwrapper. Numerous Colour and Black & White plates.

The only book to really cover the obscure genius of Jurgen Lehl, who as the name may suggest, was a German designer living and working in Japan. In 1971 Lehl found himself quite by accident in Tokyo whilst avoiding military service back in Germany, and started working as a textile designer. He then started working for himself, and making clothes, which during the early seventies in Tokyo were quite distinct with their European influences, that and the fact that ready to wear garments were still uncommon. He also designed textiles for the likes of Issey Miyake and continued to produce wholesale textiles. This book, co-designed by Tadanori Yokoo, covers his print and woven work, with texts by Tina Chow, Ettore Sottsass and David Byrne. Lehl’s obscurity came as a result of a lack of ambition for fame, he had no interest whatsoever in the market outside of Japan, and was only concerned with making work and growing vegetables, both of which he did excellently.

See inside