ISSEY MIYAKE SS24

Grasping the Formless
A flag flutters in the sky.
What does it look like?
A light wind,
The flowing water,
The twinkle of light,
The swaying of a flame.
Like everything that is part of nature,
The human body changes – it is constantly changing,
And so does the mind.
Listen carefully to their dialogue.
What is hidden, ambiguous and undefined becomes evident:
Shapes that speak and resonate with the continuous evolution of the human being.
They should always be vivid, they should always be beautiful.

Presented in Paris on Friday 29 September 2023, the SPRING/SUMMER 2024 collection “Grasping the Formless” aims to represent natural elements that do not have defined shapes, such as wind and light. And there includes in the design of the clothes – trying to capture even the ephemeral and fortuitous phenomena that arise from them they arise. The exploration of these undefined and changing elements goes hand in hand with the approach to research of fluidity in clothing. The genuine shapes obtained from this process give life to a collection with an aesthetic that communicates and resonates with the wearer.

The presentation of the collection is an interdisciplinary experience inspired by this season’s theme. The installation present in the fashion show is composed of pieces of pleated washi paper, in natural fibres, which they float in the air. Like membranes, these move and transform responding to the passage of models and the surrounding environment, echoing the relationship between “a piece of cloth” and the wearer. THE professional performers open the show by interacting with the installation, calling each other, through a dynamic alternation of music and dance. The succession of looks on the catwalk reflects the theme of the collection, by bringing out abstract looks first, which gradually develop into something more structured and formal, involving the public in this synergy between washi paper, music and cast.

Installation concept and design: Yoshihisa Tanaka
Musical creation and interpretation: ICTUS
Choreography: Némo Flouret

AMBIGUOUS is a knitted series that reveals the shape of the body, respecting the materiality of the yarn high twist cotton. The front part is characterized by the yarn twisted in one direction only, which forms naturally a delicate drapery of soft folds. The ribbed back hugs the body framing the twisted fabric. The tubular construction of this shape adapts to every physicality, giving life to an ambiguous silhouette.

TWINING is a fabric series inspired by the waving of a flag in the sky. The material is light but firm so as to maintain the folds of the twist. The light and voluminous texture is obtained with a special weaving technique which consists of leaving small spaces in the warp.

The LIGHT LEAK printed series features blurred shapes and nuanced colors on simple silhouettes, with minimal stitching. The pattern of the prints is obtained by exposing the roll of a camera photographic. The graininess of the original photographs is still visible in the pattern because the images are have been enlarged and replicated faithfully to the original.

The ENVELOPING series is obtained by twisting and tying a tubular structure composed of a single piece of fabric. The subtle sheen and elasticity of the material, made with washi paper and polyester, make highlight the depth and smoothness among the shadows of the drapery. It wraps and adapts to the body creating a original silhouette for each person.

FIXED IN TIME is a series composed of pressed fabric, inspired by the idea of capturing movement. The creases and angles around the shoulders of this bold silhouette are the result of flattening a three-dimensional torsion. Despite the volume, the dresses in this series are easy to wear thanks to the use of a light and elastic material.

The TWISTED series is made by twisting the fabric, as if it were naturally wrapped around the body of the wearer. This material fabric is composed of a mix of natural fibers (washi paper and linen) and elasticated (nylon and polyurethane). SHAPED MEMBRANE is characterized by the exaggerated silhouettes obtained from the same light and soft fabric that feels like a second skin and lends itself to oversized volumes and comfortable fits.

ISSEY MIYAKE x New Balance MT10O A collaboration created in line with the concept of moving barefoot, completing the sinuous physicality that we find in the proposals and creations of designer Satoshi Kondo. The original MT10 model is re-proposed with a style and color palette that reflects the theme of the ISSEY MIYAKE collection, with the characteristic lightness and the sensation of not having them on your feet.

isseymiyake.com

ISSEY MIYAKE SS24