Despite its ubiquity throughout history, paper has never been a natural product. Someone harvested the fibres, someone mashed the pulp, someone shaped it and flattened it. In Japan, fine fibres of hemp are used to make washi, a traditional form of paper that can last up to a thousand years. Because of its strength and versatility, washi has been used for everything from origami to clothing. One could suggest that the Japanese have been on the sustainability trend for centuries with their washi garments, and that was something that Satoshi Kondo was definitely tapping into with his SS25 collection for Issey Miyake.

The collection’s first looks, which were gorgeous white shawls that obscured the whole body, were part of the EAU series – designed with soft, transparent woven fabric and fastened on the inside to create a draping effect. The alchemy of these pieces was that they were dry fabrics that looked wet and glistened in the light. 

The collection then became a series of looks constructed from washi (as the show notes helpfully explained, garments made from washi are known as kamiko). These kamiko looks were, undoubtedly, the stars of the show. To create trousers and shirts, huge flowing coats and bags entirely out of paper was simply astonishing. It brought to mind something that you’d expect from Martin Margiela at the height of his powers. The looks that followed these paper outfits mixed washi with rayon-silk and yarn and had a similar papery effect but are more fitted and adapted to the wearer’s body.

In the middle of the show, a mini-collection of avant-garde outfits that were made up of two separate outfits knitted together using “seamless knitting technology” displayed a whole new branch of Issey Miyake that could only have happened under Satoshi Kondo’s leadership. As stated in previous reports, Satoshi Kondo becoming lead designer for Issey Miyake has consistently proven to be one of the most ingenious and exciting moments for not just the brand, but for fashion today. The way Kondo has brought more and more of himself to Issey Miyake every season has been thrilling and it has never been more evident than with these strange layered garments. Yes, outfits like these have been produced before by numerous brands, but the fact that we’re seeing this from Issey Miyake displays how the brand is morphing and changing in a very exciting way. 

As has always been the way with Kondo, the final looks of the show were the showstoppers. The pleats were out in force (obviously) and the fabrics were folded and creased. The looks were structured and yet flowing, covering almost every inch of the models. Very casual looks, if you lived on the planet from Dune.