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Aptly titled “Dancing Textures,” Issey Miyake’s IM MEN Spring/Summer’26 collection was a rhythmic offering unveiled at the Fondation Cartier. Inspired by the late pioneering ceramic artist Shoji Kamoda, the collection explored the beauty of textiles and the playfulness of movement.
Praised as one of the leading ceramic artists of the 20th century, Kamoda was exceptional at pushing the boundaries of what was possible with the medium; creating innovative techniques and further developing the capacities of ceramics. Despite his premature death, his work has left an indelible mark in the contemporary Japanese art scene, and even today his oeuvre continues to inspire the broader art landscape. In Issey Miyake’s case, the IM MEN design team turned to the artist to transform his now-iconic ceramics into wearable garments. As ever-interesting layers converge with rich textures and extravagant shapes, this collection too pushes the boundaries of what traditional forms of clothing can be. Hats and ponchos add interesting dimensions to the silhouettes, resulting in relaxed yet neat looks. Colourways range from terracotta hues to bold neon greens, sunglasses are horizontally extended to create a distinct vision, and a standout pottery-circle look recalls the collection’s core ceramic inspiration.
Tying the entire runway together, fully dressed faceless dancers swayed through the room to capture the flowy rhythmic movements made possible by the meticulously crafted garments – a one-two step between innovation, material, and texture.