Later, when I looked up Isao Kaneko, or Kaneko Isao, very little came up at first. But with a little digging, I was able to find snippets of information. It seems he started designing clothing in the 1970s inspired by the prairie styles popular in the US at the time. Think Gunne Sax. I could not find out how long he designed runway collections under his own name as he had for the collection in the book. In 1982, he was one of the founding designers of the Japanese brand, Pink House, which still exists, though he is no longer affiliated. The brand and Isao’s design style is so particular that they became almost a genre of style similar to Japanese Kei. Kei essentially means type and is often used following a style descriptor. To some, it became known as Natural Kei but seems to be more commonly known in Japan as Pink House style or Kaneko style. The style is characterized by heavy layering, especially on the bottom of multiple skirts or bloomers and skirts. The styling often includes even more layers with scarves tied around the waist like an apron. Cozy colorful knits and blazers get piled over boldly printed dresses. 3-D elements like pom poms, corsages, and literal stuffed bears add dimension to outfits.  Elements of nature present in florals and deep, rich colors. While there are certainly nods of prairie styling in ruffles, lace, quilt patterns, and statement collars, the designs also pay homage to traditional Japanese as well as Chinese dress in Kimono-esque layers, quilted hanten style jackets, parasols, and frog closures.

Funny enough, a few weeks ago, after I was already months deep in this obsession, I was flipping through a 1981 issue of Vogue I also found at an estate sale. I came across an article on Japanese designers that mentioned Isao. Sadly, the line “There are many other factions and looks, many borrowed from Paris or New York. Among them: Junko Koshino, Isao Kaneko of Pink House, Koshino Hiroko, Jurgen Lehl, Yuki Torii, and Yoshie Inaba for Bigi.” added little more insight.