Issey Miyake’s menswear reboot: robots and renewal take flight at Paris Fashion Week
PARIS (AP) — Giant futuristic robots greeted guests as they entered the pristine runway of Issey Miyake new menswear line IM MEN, unveiled Thursday at Paris Fashion Week.
As the robots moved with surgical precision, they revealed a stark black board symbolizing a new beginning for the fashion house. Its somber hue also felt like a quiet homage to designer and founder Issey Miyake, who passed away in 2022 at age 84.
This new collection, the last to be personally influenced by Miyake himself, was a profound moment for the house. It marked a transition and a reimagining of menswear through the lens of tradition and cutting-edge design.
The looks: Warrior-like armor meets soft proportions
The collection opened with a pearlized, multilayered ensemble that immediately commanded attention. With its sleek head cap and utilitarian tassels, the look was a fashion-forward take on functionality. A padded crossover undergarment lent the outfit a distinctly armorial feel, while an oversized long coat softened the silhouette, blending strength with elegance.
Throughout the show, long, flowing proportions added a tactile, huggable quality to loosely structured garments. Standouts included jackets with detachable hoods, oversized coats with modular back panels, and padded utility wear.
Key technical innovations, like plant-based nylon linings that double as vests, emphasized functionality without compromising on style. Meanwhile, a flat drape series featured garments that transformed from perfect squares into flowing silhouettes.
What the house says
The house described the collection as “a piece of cloth taking flight,” a powerful metaphor for its commitment to creativity without bounds.
Designed by Miyake Design Studio’s team — Sen Kawahara, Yuki Itakura, and Nobutaka Kobayashi — the collection showcased their ability to honor the house founder's legacy while carving out a new path.
Moving beyond legacy pleats
While the house's previous Homme Plissé men's collections have long been lauded for their innovative pleating techniques, they occasionally risked becoming overly reliant on a single aesthetic. This IM MEN collection, by contrast, expanded the house’s vocabulary. Transformative designs, modular garments, and bold fabrications moved beyond pleats to explore new possibilities in menswear.
Past features of Homme Plissé that have drawn criticism, such as a tendency toward overly abstract concepts or impractical designs, were notably absent here. Instead, the collection offered a focus on wearability, marking a significant evolution.
