Issey Miyake
1998 Cai Guo Quiang 'Gunpowder' Printed Pleated Dress

$3,195

More Information

1998 Issey Miyake 'Guest Artist Series' No. 4, created in collaboration with Cai Guo Quiang (Dragon: Explosion), featuring 'gunpowder' printed design on signature polyester pleated dress. Mock neck sleeveless below-knee dress with high side slits (can be styled as dress or top), and rare abstract gunpowder dragon print on front and back. In excellent vintage condition with no flaws to note. 

This design by artist Cai Guo Quiang utilized real gunpowder placed into dragon pattern, then ignited over samples. The Met Museum notates that the dragons were utilized as "a Chinese symbol for life," highlighting the contrast between the harshness of the explosion to create the piece with the intentionality of life and vitality. 

Cai Guo Quiang regularly created large-scale gunpowder explosion art performance pieces in public - most notably for the 2008 Olympic Games - and showcases Chinese culture through abstract symbolism, highlighted here by Issey Miyake. The series was featured prominently in many museums (MET Museum, LACMA, Foundation Cartier, RISD Museum of Art) and seen on the runway. A transformative piece of both fashion history and wearable artwork.

One size fits most due to pleated construction. Marked size JP Size 3. 

Pit to Pit: 12" lying flat (24" when worn); stretches to 30" (60" when worn)

Waist: 11.5" lying flat (23" when worn); stretches to 29.5" (59" when worn)

Hip: 12" lying flat (24" when worn); stretches to 30" (60" when worn), with semi-open structure due to high side slits

Length: 49.4" from shoulder to hem

Slit Length: 28"

Returns are not eligible for this garment. Please read the condition, fabric contents, and item description in full and compare the measurements to your own. If you have any questions, please send us an email to Studio@TabVintage.com prior to purchase and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Size Guide

US UK IT FR JP Pants/Denim
XXS 00 2 34 30 1 22
XS 0 4 36 32 3 23
XS 2 6 38 34 5 24-25
S 4 8 40 36 7 26-27
S 6 10 42 38 9 27-28
M 8 12 44 40 11 29-30
L 10 14 46 42 13 31-32
L 12 16 48 44 15 32-33
XL 14 18 50 46 17 24-26