“This collection is inspired by plants — and mostly vegetables,” said Satoshi Kondo, who showed images of sprouting fennel and onion, which set off the idea of untamed nature’s energy into the season’s rich lineup chockablock with organic shapes and colors.
In mind were rhizomes for the fashioning of seamless 3D knitted pieces, which sculpted themselves around models’ bodies and can be worn in various ways. “It is not just for female or male, but for any gender identity,” Kondo said.
Another series of garments has a meandering, winding theme. To wit, a black, strapless nylon dress has looped around its waist a fabric of recycled polyester knit with undulating white lines.
A long gray jacket with strokes of yellow, made from loosely knitted yarns milled then pressed by a jacquard machine, nods to how roots grow, according to Kondo. The leaf green dress, reminiscent of a peapod, comes cinched with yellow-colored fabric twice to give a three-tiered, draped effect to the ankle-length silhouette.
To conjure up the luscious vegetal hues, such as eggplant, raspberry, lemon and orange, the Issey Miyake design team boiled and blended fruits and vegetables, such as beets and kiwi, to make fresh juices — and colors.
The season’s fashion video, called “Sow It and Let It Grow,” is one of various, interconnected parts. Set against a black backdrop, models arise from seamless knitwear pieces joined and laid out flat on a large square. They walk throughout a virtual cube, bouncing off walls, and climb staircases. At the end, one model reaches the top step, under falling raindrops, and jumps out of the darkness into a bright urban landscape.
“That is the way we want to express how wild plant roots can grow and how they are looking to break through and germinate,” Kondo said. “It’s an abstract take on that energy. The idea behind the collection is to give you a sense of hope.”