We love to talk about fashion, styles, trends, fashion Dos and fashion Don’ts… but ultimately these are only marginal topics. We realize that only when we meet something unexpected and brilliant, something like pure/authentic design.
After a long ‘absence’ from the fashion scene (some people love their lab more then they love the limelight), Miyake is back, and brings out something very special. The new clothing line launched by Issey Miyake is titled “132 5”, and contains 10 bi-dimensional objects, whose final form is given by their fitting on the body. The project was launched by Miyake Realty Lab, a research team formed by Issey Miyake- the designer, Manabu Kikuchi- the textile engineer, Sachiko Yamamoto- the pattern maker. Super team& super project!
132 5 was revealed in the Japanese Exhibition at the Barbican. Defined as a successful connection between math and fashion design, it develops the idea of alternative clothing, recycling, regeneration, evolution. A perfect balance between aesthetics and practical clothing, an alternative solution for constructing outfits, a perfect mix between technology and creativity. That means ‘design’, huh?
Why do I find it so amazing? First of all, it’s the idea of a folded piece of clothing looking like a fabric square. When you pull the headband of the folded square end, it reveals a three-dimensional shape, ready to be dressed. The garment shape is described by various folds, angles and triangles that are structured to function simultaneously as folding edges. Then, the 3D shapes can be easily retreated back and return to the initial stage. A challenge like this excited Martin Margiela once, generating his famous “Flat Collection.” The solving technique was, of course, very different.
Now, why 132 5? According to the designer, 1 refers to “a single piece of fabric”, 2 and 3 are related to the garment dimensions, and 5 leaves room for experimentation and new dimensions. But above all, as an extra argument, the materials themselves have been produced through a sophisticated technology, by recycling PET – the project also has a strong Environmental core. Are we witnessing a new revolution in fashion in pure Japanese way?
