Fashion designer Issey Miyake is synoymous with the use of innovative pleating and folding techniques in his design work. Not limited to garments, he also produces bags and accessories and, latterly, even a collection of structurally fascinating lampshades.

The inspiration behind the 132 5 collection is as follows:

  • 1 refers to a single piece of fabric
  • 3 to a three-dimensional shape
  • 2 reflects the fact that the piece can be restored to 2 dimensions
  • 5 refers to the fifth dimension. This is described as a temporal dimension, coming into being at the point at which the garment is worn. It also symbolises the future and the way forward.

This concept is explained in more detail at the Issey Miyake Studio site but briefly, the projects are produced from recycled polyester fibres. Computer graphics programs are used to plot the fabric folds required to transform the flat fabric into a fully 3-dimensional form, folded and creased into a fluid, curved shape.

Thoughts and ideas

I am keen to explore how these ideas could inspire my work, making an exciting crossover between the amazing traditional skills of origami and incorporating those skills into new forms.

My pinterest board for Issey Miyake and related items:

https://www.pinterest.com/hueanddye/artists-issey-miyake/

References:

Issey Miyake Fashions Lamps Like Clothing | The Creators Project. 2015. Issey Miyake Fashions Lamps Like Clothing | The Creators Project. [ONLINE] Available at: http://thecreatorsproject.vice.com/blog/issey-miyake-fashions-lamps-like-clothing. [Accessed 14 September 2015].

MIYAKE DESIGN STUDIO official site. 2015. MIYAKE DESIGN STUDIO official site. [ONLINE] Available at: http://mds.isseymiyake.com/mds/en/collection/. [Accessed 17 September 2015].