Kei Kagami – A Retrospective

The London-based fashion designer Kei Kagami is a master of conceptual design. His fashion designs are more likely to be described as installations, and his shoe collections (most of them highly wearable) show his great interest in architecture. Starting the 3rd of February The Dutch Leather and Shoe Museum in Waalwijk, in collaboration with Steinbeisser, highlights Kagami’s startling work in the exhibition Kei Kagami – A Retrospective.


Kagami’s name is well-established in the Dutch fashion world. During Fashion Biennale, Arnhem in 2009, his Fountain Dress was one of the eye-catchers in St Eusebius’ Church. Kagami’s shoes were on display in the same exhibition as they were at the Lloyd hotel in 2011. The latter exhibition was initiated by Martin Kulik and Jouw Wijnsma of the Amsterdam organization Steinbeisser which once again, are involved in this Kei Kagami retrospective. Steinbeisser is an organization involved in many exhibitions and performances concerning jewelry and fashion and also acts as a selling point.

In the year 2000 Kagami (Japanese by birth) started designing shoes, influenced by his compatriot Tokio Kumagaï, who’s work he had already noticed in 1983. Kei Kagami – A Retrospective contains a selection of all shoe designs ever made by Kagami. At the same time two of his conceptual pieces are on display as well.

In addition to his own retrospective a small exhibition of shoes of the admired Tokyo Kumagaï has been added. In the early 1990s, over 400 shoes from the legacy of Kumagaï were donated to The Dutch Leather and Shoe Museum by Kumagaï’s producer, the Italian company Heresco. From this collection Kagamai has selected his 10 favorite Kumagaï designs, hoping that this small exhibition will keep the memory alive of Tokio Kumagaï, who unfortunately died young in 1987.

During this Kagami exhibition the designer will also be available for workshops and lectures about his work.

Kei Kagami – A Retrospective
Dutch Leather and Shoe Museum
3 February till 5 May 2013
Elzenweg 25, Waalwijk, the Netherlands

More Kei Kagami at the Virtual Shoe Museum.