“How many new types of pleats can there be?” wondered a guest at the Issey Miyake show, perusing the notes for its spring collection. Plenty, it turns out.
The Japanese brand famous for its Pleats Please line is always researching new ways of molding fabric. This season, creative director Yoshiyuki Miyamae came up with a process of printing glue onto fabric and then baking it. As it expands under the high temperature, the glue fixes the pleat into the fabric.
The resulting garments were the ultimate in wearable Op Art. The multicolored waves on a blue sleeveless dress appeared to quiver under the runway spotlights, while a sculptural blue-and-white top and skirt produced patterns resembling the distortion on an old television screen.
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The visual trickery was, however, somewhat at odds with the rest of the tropical-themed lineup, which featured checked dresses with rustic fringes, color-blocked T-shirts and vests with cropped pants and raffialike knits.