Issey Miyake and the evocative power of a blank sheet

In different cultures, white has taken on multiple meanings: purity, beginning, possibility. The additive synthesis of all the colors of the visible spectrum covered the surface of the Parc Floral in Paris on September 27, becoming the setup for The Beauty of Paper, SS25 of the collection by Issey Miyake signed by Satoshi Kondo. An ode to traditional Japanese washi paper and the complementarity between nature and design in the brand's heritage, which since 1970 has pushed the boundaries of functionality, from the Flying Saucer, weightless dresses made from flying discs, to the introduction of the concept of A-POC, a long tubular fabric created from binary code and a computerized textile machine. This year, in addition to the iconic pleats, the runway welcomed textures and transparencies reminiscent of water ripples, plants, and flowers adorning the garments and faces of the models, oversized silhouettes, and graphic suits, all stemming from one question: what is it about paper that makes us feel so comfortable? We met Kondo in the immersive whiteness of the setup, where even the seats were made of wrapped and pressed washi paper, like logs cut in series, to try to find an answer.

“There’s something really calming, relaxing, and soothing about paper as a material,” Kondo admits - “while working on this collection, my team and I stayed in a hotel called Log in the Hiroshima prefecture. Every room was lined with washi paper, and that stay actually inspired us to begin researching paper, not only washi, but paper in general: its history, its craftsmanship, and its contexts of creation.” The research and development of the collection focused on the craftsmanship of this material, through various tailoring studies, to evoke its texture. The collection features a series of kamiko (washi garments) made from 100% hemp fibers, representative of the brand’s intent to carry forward the practice of this historic artisanal technique, which has existed in Japan for over ten centuries. “I wanted the runway to trace the process of paper creation. For washi paper in particular, a lot of water is needed, and it’s from this element that we started. From water, paper emerges, and along the process, plants, flowers, and herbs appear. We decided to conclude with this conceptual idea of bringing light.”

The collection opens, in fact, with the EAU series, which captures the shimmer of water, integrating the concept of a piece of cloth in soft, transparent fabric, fixed inside to create draping. It continues with EASE AND EASED, garments that replicate the design of kamiko, using a blend of hemp yarn, mohair, and wool for the weave. The subtle color variation of the yarn emphasizes the warmth and materiality of the texture, while the silhouette takes advantage of the way the garment falls and adapts to the body, flattening—like paper. At the center of the collection are the WEAR AND WORN pieces, based on the concept of merging two garments in a challenge made possible by seamless knitwear technology: by passing the body through one of the two garments or reversing the front and back. PRESSED FLORA is characterized by delicate prints, spring peonies, buttercups, and asparagus leaves, with a pattern that recalls the color and texture variations that occur when fresh flowers are pressed, with accidental small creases emphasizing the fragility of both the flowers and the material.

The collection continues with the CLOTH AND CORD pieces, where entire fabrics meet cotton rope laces that enhance the craftsmanship, and concludes with PAPER BAG, inspired by ordinary paper bags in shape and construction. The bags are made by pressing a fabric that holds its shape when woven with threads made from washi flakes, giving them the texture and lightness of paper and the durability suited for everyday use. Among flat-soled knitwear shoes, maxi bags, playful elements, and a design that challenges contemporary functionality while maintaining a more primitive poeticism, the brand continues to surprise us, also integrating “youthful elements.” “This is the energy we want to bring to the runway,” concludes Kondo.