Homme Plissé Issey Miyake presented the second edition of OPEN STUDIO at Tate Modern in London on September 16, staging a dance performance in The Tanks around Henri Matisse’s The Snail from 1953. The project also introduced a capsule collection created with Tate, translating the artist’s colored paper cut-outs into pleated clothing and accessories.
EVENTS
For the performance, the south tank became an open circular space lined with benches and scattered individual seats. A pleated garment shaped after one of Matisse’s cut-outs rested at the center of the felt-covered floor. As guests entered, a solo performer began lifting sections of the flooring to reveal additional garments hidden beneath it.
Performers then invited individual spectators into sessions of One One One, an improvisational dance format based on direct eye contact between one performer and one audience member. As these encounters continued, the dancers uncovered further pieces and put them on, gradually filling the space with the colors and forms drawn from The Snail.
The changing garments became part of the choreography. Performers wore the pleated pieces, removed them and placed them around the floor, creating an evolving arrangement that referred to Matisse’s studio and the paper cut-outs used during the creation of the original work.
Toward the end of the presentation, the performers uncovered a full-scale interpretation of The Snail beneath the felt. Pleated garments reproduced the shapes of the original composition, turning Matisse’s paper elements into wearable forms. The dancers then performed around the installation, connecting the physical properties of Homme Plissé Issey Miyake clothing with the sense of color and motion found in the artwork.
The design team developed OPEN STUDIO from its first encounter with The Snail, responding to the energy they found in the work. Their starting idea involved translating each individual paper shape into a garment through the brand’s pleating technology. Dance provided a way to activate those pieces and show how they respond to the body.
The accompanying Homme Plissé Issey Miyake for Tate capsule follows the same approach. The collection reproduces the color palette of The Snail through printed and pleated pieces.
The Snail Pleats 1 includes a relaxed button-front cardigan with a V-neck and two front pockets. The same print also appears on a sleeveless tunic and a round-neck short-sleeve T-shirt. The Snail Palette Pleats offers a relaxed long-sleeve top in white, black, orange, emerald green and purple.
Accessories include The Snail Crossbody Bag for Tate, designed with a pleated construction, adjustable shoulder strap and two-button fastening. The Snail Scarf for Tate takes a small diamond-shaped pleated form that can be worn around the neck or attached to a bag.
The capsule launches September 17 exclusively through Tate Shops and Tate’s online store for a limited period. From January 2027, selected Issey Miyake stores carrying Homme Plissé Issey Miyake in Tokyo, Osaka and London will also offer the collection.
