The impact of the Japanese avant-garde on modern fashion is irrefutably broad. Having brought Rei Kawakubo’s 1982 Paris debut, ‘Destroy’, and Y-3, the lovechild of Yohji Yamamoto and Adidas, to the world, the Asian archipelago exerts a force felt wider than any other.
At the fore of Japan’s vast creative vanguard stands Issey Miyake, a designer who, since the founding of his eponymous label in 1971, has revolutionised attitudes toward pleating, structure and form, consistently demonstrating an intimate acquaintance with the technicality of materials.
This week, we’re drawing your gaze to the ‘Bao Bao’ line, instantly recognisable by its combination of simple geometries and an awareness of the possibilities and capacities of fabric. With glossy vinyl triangles applied to a flexible material frame, the ‘Prism Basic Tote’ “accommodates and transforms itself […] to create dramatic new shapes.” When in use, the bag warps according to the size, shape and density of the objects placed inside. Each resulting look, of which the number is innumerable, is an experiment in form, defined by rigid geometric precision and a symbiotic accommodation of whatever is deemed necessary to he or she who carries it.
Gone are the days of awkward lumps, bumps and structural deformations. No matter what you need to get through the day, the ‘Prism Basic Tote’ will do one better than simply carrying it, it will do it in unpretentious, unique, and inventive style. Getting your hands on one simply entails heading over to their online store, where you’ll find a range of colours, complemented by the entire range of Bao Bao accesories! If you’re here in Berlin, a trip to the city’s outpost of French luxury powerhouse, Galeries Lafayette, should satiate any desires.
