Dear Shaded Viewers,
Yesterday, as the Parisian sun cast sharp reflections across the steel columns of the Fondation Cartier, Issey Miyake’s IM MEN Spring/Summer 2026 show unfolded as a living sculpture—an ode to the poetic interplay between fabric, form, and the body in motion. The heat outside was relentless, but inside, the atmosphere was electric with anticipation, as the Japanese house once again redefined what menswear can be in the hands of true innovators. Not being able to support the sun, with the grace that is always present at Issey Miyake…I went inside.
This season’s collection, aptly titled “Dancing Texture,” was a profound meditation on the tactile and visual possibilities of textiles. The IM MEN design team, led by Yuki Itakura, Sen Kawahara, and Nobutaka Kobayashi, drew inspiration from the pioneering Japanese ceramicist Shoji Kamoda. Kamoda’s influence was everywhere: in the rounded, scale-like motifs that traversed suits and tunics, in the metallic luster of silver-foiled garments, and in the subtle, 3D jacquard patterns that seemed to shift with every step.
The show was not merely about clothes, but about the spaces they create around the body—the “ma,” or unfilled space, that Issey Miyake has long championed as central to his design philosophy. Colossal textile panels depicting abstract landscapes floated above the runway, while dancers in samurai-inspired garments animated the collection’s sculptural qualities, blurring the line between performance and presentation.
In a season where many have leaned into somber palettes, Miyake’s show was a celebration of color and optimism. Delicate spring hues and bold, high-impact tones signaled a renewed sense of vibrancy on the Paris runways, with Issey Miyake leading the charge. The collection’s inventive techniques—like the “bonding opal process” for scale patterns, pigment printing for tonal contrasts, and heat-sensitive jacquards—demonstrated a relentless pursuit of innovation.
What set this collection apart was not just its technical brilliance, but its ability to evoke emotion. Each piece was a conversation between tradition and modernity, East and West, material and movement. The debut of “ISSEY MIYAKE FOOT,” a footwear collaboration with ASICS SportStyle, underscored the brand’s commitment to merging performance and artistry, with the “HYPER TAPING” shoes reinterpreting ASICS’ iconic stripes for a new era.
Issey Miyake’s IM MEN Spring/Summer 2026 show was more than a fashion event—it was a reminder of the house’s enduring legacy of innovation, and its belief in clothing as a universal language. In a world often defined by uncertainty, Miyake’s vision offered a hopeful, exuberant counterpoint: menswear as a symphony of movement, material, and imagination. As the models and dancers exited the stage, the message was clear—fashion, at its best, is not just worn, but lived.
CreditS
© ISSEY MIYAKE INC.
Runway looks et détails : Frédérique Dumoulin-Bonnet
Show images : Olivier Baco
ISSEY MIYAKE FOOT images ：Frédérique Dumoulin-Bonnet
isseymiyake.com
@im_men_official
Later,
Diane
