Sat 28th September
The collection was called ‘A sense of Joy’ and that’s what new designer Satoshi Kondo, making his debut for Issey Miyake brought. We say new, but he’s worked for the house for over a decade and is steeped in its spirit. That’s what came across so strongly in this show, which eschewed the traditional catwalk formula in favour of a series of choreographed vignettes with groups of dancers showing off the clothes. They swirled and stretched and arched and span – all the better to show off Kondo’s designs. Highlights included models on motorised skateboards swishing around the venue as their colourful jumpsuits filled with air like sails. Or moment when three models in nude underwear held their hands aloft as colourful pleated dresses descended from the sky into their bodies. Once they were dressed they all began to bounce and their pleated vest dresses sprung up and down with them. It was a brilliant, boinging display of pure optimism. It’s an emotion that the house’s great founder made his signature. Kondo tapped directly into that heritage and showed he could surprise and delight a jaded Paris Fashion Week audience. His clothes were practical and performative. Bravo!
Photographs by Frédérique Dumoulin.
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