A seed drops into fertile soil.
Asleep in the dark, taking in warmth, water, and air, it awaits germination.
There, roots begin to creep downward;
There, a sprout emerges and extends upward.
The roots by nature force their way onward in every direction,
For the fruits that will eventually bear.
Then, storing the energy little by little, a stem grows into stems,
From which a leaf grows into leaves, and so does a fruit into fruits.
The time has arrived to see these vegetables for the first time,
Fully grown dug out from the earth:
Curled, twisted, bent, coiled, entwined, all fresh and lively.
The ripeness underneath their soiled skins smells like the earth.
They are all different, in colors vivid and bold and of forms free and uncontrived.
They are all irregular, and in irregularity, there is pride and grace.
They are wild, strong, and handsome—untamed by conventions.
Issey Miyake is the perfect representation that when fashion meets art, the result is absolutely a masterpiece. The collection was anticipated with a premiere online and showcase in Paris during the fashion week through an installation.
Yuichi Kodama directs the video, and it reflects the collection theme as it narrates a plant’s growth. As the video opens, you can see the stage in the dark where various knit pieces, lie like roots spreading around freely in every direction, come to life as the models wear them. In another frame, models and performers in black-and-white garments enter and walk one after another. What impressed me the most is how the models are bumped into and bounced back by the walls that represent the wild nature of winding roots. As the models begin to walk upon the stairs, the garments turn bright and colorful, and like growing plants bathing in light and rain, they develop into a variety of silhouettes and textures. Models reach the last scene filled with light.
The whole collection is an homage to plants’ wild nature and the beauty in every one of its forms. It explores the growth of a seed that develops into roots and then sprouts out of the earth and towards the light. In a beautiful metaphor of life, we are seeds growing on this earth who projected ourselves toward a bright life.
The silhouettes are irregular, the colors are bright and bold, which reminds us of fruits and vegetables, and textures are various like their plants’ world.
The Fall-Winter collection has been divided into different sub-categories: MEANDER and WINDING, which express the energy of the plants while germinating; RHIZOME is a seamless knit inspired by the way roots grow freely in every direction; PODS is made with the traditional shiborizome (tie-dyeing) technique. The unique garment form was designed from three connecting round pieces, inspired by a pea pod; SLICE represents the cross-sections of fruits and vegetables expressed through the hikizome (hand-drawn dyeing) technique done by artisans in Kyoto; AROUND instead features garment forms of straight lines with circles around the neck and waist; GROW is a coat series made in bold colors and created based on paintings inspired by the growth of a plant; LAYER OVER is a series of garments featuring overlapping rectangular pieces of fabric that drape across the body.
The collection is devoted to sustainability and is made to endure time and to grow with us in the various stages of our life.
See the entire collection in our upcoming 34th issue of Composure Magazine!
