A Journey with Yohji Yamamoto: Inside MIROU’s Fashion Archive in Innsbruck

OCTOBER 31, 2026 → WORDS ADRIÁN GOMIS EXPÓSITO

PHOTOGRAPHY LUISA ZOE

From October 22 to 23, Innsbruck became a meeting point for fashion, art and Japanese design history as concept store MIROU presented A Journey with Yohji Yamamoto, an exclusive exhibition celebrating the work of the Japanese designer. 

Bringing together rare archival pieces, iconic runway creations and previously unpublished insights into Yamamoto’s creative process, the event offered an intimate look into the world of one of fashion’s most enduring visionaries. Organised in collaboration with Berlin-based agency 0049x, the gathering opened a space for cultural exchange, inviting guests to explore the relationship between fashion, artistic expression and heritage.

The programme began with an exclusive dinner on October 22 at the historic Gothic Cellar of Innsbruck’s Hofburg Palace. Set within the centuries-old vaulted interiors, the evening brought together selected figures from the worlds of fashion, photography, art and culture, including Dustin Hanke, Dan Garten, Robyn Steffen and members of the German fashion press. A specially curated dinner by DILON complemented the occasion, setting the tone for a weekend centred on the appreciation of design beyond the runway. On October 23, a press reception welcomed local creatives and international guests from Berlin, Paris and New York, further opening the conversation around Yamamoto’s influence and the cultural significance of his work.

PHOTOGRAPHY LUISA ZOE

At the heart of the exhibition was the pre-launch of Yohji Yamamoto Drawings, a book featuring previously unpublished sketches that offer a rare glimpse into the designer’s artistic process. The archive also included selected runway looks, among them a black evening gown featuring a futuristic hoop skirt and fluid draping from the Fall/Winter 2015/16 collection, previously exhibited at the Louvre. The selection was personally curated by Yamamoto’s team in close collaboration with Caroline Fabre, the designer’s longtime associate in Paris. Beyond the garments themselves, the exhibition reflected the ephemeral nature of fashion: until 1995, Yamamoto reportedly burned his runway collections in accordance with a Japanese understanding of impermanence, making the preservation and presentation of these pieces all the more significant.

For MIROU founder Michael Baumgärtner, bringing the designer’s archive to Innsbruck was as much a personal gesture as it was a celebration of fashion history. “Yohji Yamamoto changed the way I see beauty. Bringing his archive to Innsbruck was my way of sharing that perspective — while leaving room for everyone to find their own.” 

Through A Journey with Yohji Yamamoto, MIROU offered more than an exhibition; it created an opportunity to encounter fashion as a living dialogue between cultures, generations and individual perspectives. In a landscape often shaped by fleeting trends, Yamamoto’s work continues to stand apart, reminding us that the most compelling creative visions are those that transcend their time.