Pair of vinyl boots, designed by Kansai Yamamoto, Tokyo, 1971.

Pair of black 'wet-look' vinyl boots, knee length, and with zips up the inside legs. It has a solid platform sole covered in pale blue satin.

Given by the designer

In 1971 Kansai Yamamoto was the first Japanese fashion designer to hold a collection show in London, entitled 'Kansai in London'. These boots accompanied a two-piece jumpsuit (given) that was (by Kansai's own judgment) the star of the show. It was worn over a knitted woolen, tightly-fitting 'hot-pants' jumpsuit (not given). Among the models for this show was Marie Helvin. This London debut brought him an international spotlight and a long friendship with artists like Elton John, Stevie Wonder, and David Bowie, for whom he designed the outfits for the Ziggy Stardust and Aladdin Sane tours.

David Bowie said, for the Edo-Tokyo Museum's Kansai exhibition (2008), to which this object was loaned: "The Kansai Yamamoto costume designs that Kansai and I chose for the Ziggy Stardust and Aladdin Sane tours contributed significantly to pushing away from the 60's and for creating new sensibilities for the post-modern 70's. Kansai's brave ideas brought Japanese clothes design to the forefront of fashion".

Given by Mr Kansai Yamamoto as part of the Cecil Beaton gift.

T.498B&C-1974