October 4, 2025 |
“What if garments are conscious?” There were big questions and even bigger ideas at the Issey Miyake show, held inside the Centre Pompidou. Miyake is a brand built on innovation, a quality its designer Satoshi Kondo likes to expand on with a daring curiosity. He began this season by thinking about how clothes interact with the world around us, treating garments “as if they were living beings”, read the show notes.
Lebanese artist a created a live soundscape for the show. A group of his works occupied the catwalk, some of which incorporated Miyake fabrics. As the dramatic strings swelled through the space, out came warped everyday staples. Striped polo shirts suddenly bulged at the shoulders like they were about to erupt and trousers sprouted with the shoulders and arms of blazers, as if trying to morph into a full suit. A similar treatment was seen across leather dresses that had pockets in the shape of high heels, proving to be weirdly elegant.
Practically wasn’t sacrificed in Kondo’s experimental quest. Bras looped down the spine to become backpacks and sheer dresses and catsuits encased household items like milk cartons and cleaning supplies – begrudged paying 15p for a bag down at Sainsbury’s, you can now carry your shopping home in your clothes! These “living” clothes reached a divine crescendo with a procession of dresses that looked as if they were made of plant leaves. These will give your wardrobe new life.
Photography courtesy of Issey Miyake.
