Dress

Issey Miyake, known for limiting waste in fashion by following the principle of constructing the kimono using a single piece of cloth, also created many pleated pieces that can be easily folded flat, much like how kimonos are stored. In his 1990 Rhythm Pleats collection, he explored transforming such flat garments through sculptural manipulation. The pieces are first cut and sewn together from fabric that is nearly three times larger than the finished item, then sandwiched between sheets of paper and hand-fed into a pleating machine. A heat-press used to shrink them into perfectly sized garments also finalizes the shape and texture. This cocoonlike dress from his Rhythm Pleats collection echoes the billowing volume of the uchikake, or outer robe.





On view from October 22, 2022–February 20, 2023