Issey Miyake Men A/W 2019 Paris Fashion Week Men's

Mood board: Our lives are folded into our phones. Wallets, iPods, address books, diaries – all of them on one device. And so, across fashion and into the streets, a new accessory is taking over – the small pochette, big enough for a phone and a portable charger, but nothing more. This minimalism of dress has nothing to do with minimalist fashion, but it chimes with the need for clean, rigorous lines. Unfussy clothes. The kind of practical, energetic suiting and silhouettes that Yusuke Takahashi does at Miyake. Added to this are the artisanal techniques and rich technical fabrics developed in the studio in Japan. Takahasi isn’t a die-hard minimalist; his colours and patterns are rooted too heavily in the flora and fauna of life. A/ W 2019 explored an easier, free-er wardrobe. Free to move.
Best in show: Takahashi said the collection, entitled ‘Feeling the Wind’, was his way of using the power of nature. Yet this wasn’t a blousy, dramatic affair. The clothes had a poetic severity. Sharp yellow batik dyed tumbling waves were on linen lyocell. In the quest for elegant wearability and warmth, the look was constrained and rigorous. A technical three button blazer had ruching at the back; fringed wool made into overcoats had been shrunk after double weaving, lending it a blustery texture. There was a lightness to the drape to contrast with the autumnal longing for warmth. Heavy knitwear had a springtime ease yet this was a trick of the eye - the clothes were all snug. Tailoring sat away from the body.
Finishing touches: Season upon season, Takahashi takes inspiration from the contrasts of nature with its untamed majesty, exploring it with the agility of urban cityscapes. The muse for this season is unconstrained by heavy tailoring, sharp shoulders and thick textiles. Standout were fine suiting with graphic stripes and matching collarless shirts. Cuffed technical trousers. Pants had a balloon feel and a single pleat at front. All worn with a range of coloured rubber plimsolls and high top sneakers.
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
London based writer Dal Chodha is editor-in-chief of Archivist Addendum — a publishing project that explores the gap between fashion editorial and academe. He writes for various international titles and journals on fashion, art and culture and is a contributing editor at Wallpaper*. Chodha has been working in academic institutions for more than a decade and is Stage 1 Leader of the BA Fashion Communication and Promotion course at Central Saint Martins. In 2020 he published his first book SHOW NOTES, an original hybrid of journalism, poetry and provocation.
-
Wild sauna, anyone? The ultimate guide to exploring deep heat in the UK outdoors
‘Wild Sauna’, a new book exploring the finest outdoor establishments for the ultimate deep-heat experience in the UK, has hit the shelves; we find out more about the growing trend
-
Highlights from the transporting Cruise 2026 shows
The Cruise 2026 season began yesterday with a Chanel show at Lake Como, heralding the start of a series of jet-setting, destination runway shows from fashion’s biggest houses
-
Behind the design of national pavilions in Venice: three studios to know
Designing the British, Swiss and Mexican national pavilions at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025 are three outstanding studios to know before you go
-
Palace unites with Rapha to celebrate inaugural Tour de France Femmes
Marking the first time women will compete in the historic cycling race since the late 1980s, this new collaboration sees Palace Skateboards and Rapha create uniforms for both on and off the bike – including an ‘outlandish’ pair of Crocs
-
Paris Fashion Week A/W 2022: Chanel to Miu Miu
In this extended report, Wallpaper* updates you live from Paris Fashion Week A/W 2022 shows, with rolling coverage as runway events unfold
-
Scene-stealing runway sets from S/S 2022 womenswear shows
From giant roulette wheels to Olympic diving boards and multi-city synchronized extravaganzas – our pick of the best fashion show sets from S/S 2022 womenswear
-
Louis Vuitton A/W 2020 Paris Fashion Week Women's
-
Chanel A/W 2020 Paris Fashion Week Women’s
-
Y/Project A/W 2020 Paris Fashion Week Women's
-
Sacai A/W 2020 Paris Fashion Week Women's
-
Alexander McQueen A/W 2020 Paris Fashion Week Women’s