“Design is not for philosophy, it’s for life," the late Issey Miyake once said. From the get-go, the Japanese fashion innovator focused on designing for the ordinary person, adopting an outlook that seamlessly integrated fashion with everyday living. It's fitting, then, that the brand's new flagship store is now housed in, well, a house.
The store, PLEATS PLEASE ISSEY MIYAKE, opens today in a functional residential building on 14 Kenmare Street in New York, designed by the renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando.
True to Miyake form, the building is the epitome of minimalist luxury, with its elongated lines and industrial sleekness. When Miyake advocated for the daily integration of design, he did not mean to literally simplify. Instead, behind each crisp pleat are years of careful innovation and deep consideration for the customer (hence the machine-washable garments that are easy to slip on and off).
In the same vein, Ando’s approach to design is thoughtfully engineered as to appear structurally effortless. Known for his “haiku” effect, which emphasizes negative space, Ando’s penchant for weighty concrete is neutralized by his open layouts. From the outside, the PLEATS PLEASE ISSEY MIYAKE store is one expansive, illuminated window, where the brightly colored clothes are visible from the sidewalk.
The interior features white resin-paneled walls that imitate the brand's signature pleats, alongside glossy surfaces that counteract their more coarse, concrete counterparts. Between this shared architectural levity and functional integrity is a poetic partnership that perfectly embodies both designer's visionary perspectives.
To celebrate the opening, the brand is launching an exclusive line of pleated tops, skirts, and dresses, titled SOIL & LEAF.
