The Issey Miyake Fall Winter 2024 collection, presented on March 1 at the Museum of Immigration History in Paris, goes into the timeless act of draping the human form with fabric. This collection, named “What Has Always Been,” presents clothing as a part of an ancient practice that represents a fundamental human experience. It revisits the simplicity and the nature of wrapping a piece of cloth around the body, the intrinsic beauty, strength, joy, and hope that clothing has represented across cultures and epochs.
The collection’s approach to garment creation is both primitive and innovative, emphasizing techniques such as drapery, layering, folding, and twisting, alongside the Japanese concept of ma (the beauty of space). These methods result in clothing that feels both ancient and utterly contemporary, defying specific eras or styles. Miyake’s designs are characterized by their fluidity and flexibility, crafted to enhance and adapt to the wearer’s form.
Highlighting the Issey Miyake Fall Winter 2024 collection is the “ENVISION” series, which showcases sculptural forms derived from wrapping cloth around the torso, made from a unique blend of washi and stretch fibers. This innovative fabric, first introduced in the Spring Summer 2024 collection, lends a lightweight, dry texture to the garments while allowing them to maintain volume and drape naturally.
The “ENCLOTHE PANTS” and “ASAGAO” series further exemplify Miyake’s commitment to exploring the foundational act of clothing. The pants feature an asymmetrical silhouette inspired by the simple, primitive act of draping fabric over the body, while the ASAGAO knit series draws inspiration from the form of the flower, adding playful, three-dimensional elements to the garments.
See all the looks from the collection in the Gallery below: