For its Spring/Summer 2026 collection, Issey Miyake once again presents groundbreaking design experiments. Led by the brand’s Creative Director Satoshi Kondo, the collection, titled “Being Garments, Being Sentient,” boldly imagines clothing possessing self-awareness and the ability to grow, redefining the instinctive act of “dressing” and exploring the dynamic dialogue between clothing and the human body.
Core Concept: The Awakening of Clothing’s Vitality
This season’s collection, staged at the Centre Pontifical in Paris, France, is imbued with an experimental and futuristic atmosphere. The design team conceptualized traditional clothing as autonomous “living entities,” no longer simply garments that passively cover the body, but as organic entities capable of growth and transformation. This concept challenges preconceived notions of clothing, empowering it with new possibilities, as if it breathes, interacts, and even possesses emotions.
“Garment Growth” and Structural Innovation
The “Generic Wear” collection is a highlight of the design. Starting from everyday T-shirts and hoodies, the silhouettes appear to grow and evolve. Freed from the constraints of traditional tailoring, the garments unfold in free and progressive forms, creating a dynamic visual effect and giving common garments a new lease of life.
The “ARMS” collection disrupts the conventional relationship between the body and clothing by staggering the placement of sleeves, presenting asymmetrical and versatile wear options, giving the wearer more choice and freedom.
Crossover Experiment: Fusion of Footwear and Fashion
This season, the collaboration with Spanish brand Camper continues, transferring the language of footwear design to the apparel realm. The “PEU FORM3” collection, for example, utilizes large areas of synthetic leather to create soft, drapey garments, making the upper elements an integral part of the overall look and embodying a boundless design philosophy.
Metaphorical Reflections on Consumer Society
The series “A Shopper’s Body” depicts a model wrapped in everyday items (such as toilet paper and laundry detergent), playfully and realistically reflecting on overconsumption. The visual impact of transparent pockets and the sense of oppression is a metaphor for the “devouring” of material possessions in modern society, prompting viewers to reflect on consumer culture.
“Flipping” Clothing into a Dialogue with Space
The designer challenges the boundaries of “inner-outer wear.” Some garments can be worn inside out, creating a multi-layered and dislocated visual effect. The garment itself becomes a language, offering the wearer greater possibilities for expression. Meanwhile, the “Concealed” series utilizes minimalist tubular fabrics to explore the voids and gaps between clothing and the human body, drawing attention back to the spatial relationship between the body and clothing, creating a sculptural experience.
Inspiration: The Spreading Vitality of Nature
The two collections, “Urban Jungle” and “ADVENTITIOUS,” draw inspiration from the urban plant Pinwheel Palm and the growing branches of plants, respectively. Through intricate and vivid details created through prints and pleats, the garments depict the spread and growth of plants, embodying an organic and modern aesthetic.
Soundtrack and Fashion Experience
The soundtrack for this show was composed by Lebanese artist Tarek Atoui. Combining improvisation and spatial installation, the soundscape, created using primitive materials such as stone, water, animal leather, and ceramic, complements the clothing to create a transsensory life experience, furthering the theme of “Manufacturing and Life.”
New Sneakers: Camper x Issey Miyake Collaboration
Continuing the previous collaboration, the “Karst Finch” debuts as the first collaborative sneaker. Inspired by the colorful landscape and bird feathers, the design features a colorful upper and comes with a two-tone sock. The lightweight, thick sole and comfortable elasticity embody the concept of “free movement.”
The Issey Miyake Spring/Summer 2026 collection, centered on innovative clothing concepts, breaks with tradition and calls for a new understanding of clothing. Clothing is no longer simply a form of covering; it becomes a living entity, engaging with the body, space, and the environment. It inspires us to redefine the meaning of clothing, merging art with life, presenting an unprecedented expression of fashion’s vitality.