Satoshi Kondo’s collection for Issey Miyake was all about shoulders and deconstruction. His take on the spring/summer wardrobe was both artistic and innovative, staying true to the brand’s imaginative and experimental DNA. Presented at the Pompidou Centre, the offering showcased sharp tailoring, casual sportswear influences, and sculptural silhouettes.
Titled Being Garments, Being Sentient, the collection was an exploration of the body, of movement, and of garments as living objects: clothing as a world of its own. The brand’s visual language was conveyed through its inventive vocabulary, where polo dresses and hoodies appeared in surrealist proportions, while draped dresses took on architectural and deconstructed forms.
The eclectic proposition unfolded in a myriad of styles, where casual and formal wear engaged in a poetic dialogue through colour, form, and concept. Pops of bright green, lime, red, yellow, and purple disrupted the otherwise monochrome palette, infusing the lineup with dynamism and visual excitement. Exaggerated volumes emerged in oversized coats and cocoon shapes, while fringed dresses, shredded hems, and layered draping added a playful, tactile dimension.
Rounded, high, and dramatic shoulders were central to the collection, creating a raw silhouette that contrasted with the sculptural draping of certain pieces. The shoulders introduced a sense of multidimensional form – deeply ingrained in the brand’s signature – and stood as a clear example of its ongoing experimentation with techniques and shapes, an approach that has set it apart since its beginnings.
Minimal accessories, such as hats and oversized sunglasses, helped to complete this distinctive universe. The collection balanced wearability, technical exploration, and theatricality, weaving these elements together to reveal both practical everyday pieces and bold, statement-making runway art.
Words by Carolina Benjumea
