Innovation has always been at the forefront of Issey Miyake’s philosophy, so it’s no wonder that the label’s Creative Director of Womenswear, Yoshiyuki Miyamae, has developed a new technique for folding material into origami-like patterns, thanks to the creation of a new type of fabric that contracts into rigid structures when exposed to steam, called 3D Stretch Seam.
The video is a brilliant depiction of the abstraction which comes before the 3D structures form.
I think it’s inspiring that an in-house creative has been allowed to embrace innovation with free rein and in such a pioneering way – so often technological developments and projects such as this are outsourced to external companies. “Technology has been hugely influential on the fashion industry all across the world,” said Yoshiyuki Miyamae.
“We’re thinking about the possibilities of
applying it into interior design, or products or architecture. “
3D Steam Stretch fabric was used for garments in Issey Miyake’s Spring/Summer 2015 womenswear collection shown during Paris Fashion Week. It’s a huge leap from the linear patterns created using the same technology that took three years to develop. “This technology could also be used in other industries,” Miyamae said. “We’re thinking about the possibilities of applying it into interior design, or products or architecture.”