Metropolitan Pleats

Image courtesy of Issey Miyake Inc.

In the fall of 1988, Issey Miyake presented an exhibition at Paris’ Musée des Arts Décoratifs titled “Issey Miyake A-ŪN.” The sweeping panorama of the late Japanese designer’s work focused on his pioneering exploration of material. By 1993, Miyake had patented his “garment pleating” process and launched Pleats Please Issey Miyake as a standalone brand. 

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This December, Pleats Please is opening its second New York Location on the corner of Elizabeth and Kenmare in Manhattan’s Nolita neighborhood, on the ground floor of a building from another renowned Japanese artist, Tadao Ando. The master of space and simplicity lent his inimitable architecture to the city’s landscape in 2016––his first building in Manhattan, and his first residential structure outside of Asia. Now, Ando and Miyake’s artistry merge in their shared space, austere architectural lines accentuating the delicate texture of garments.

Image courtesy of Issey Miyake Inc.

The interior of the 2,224-square-foot retail space was designed by the Japanese design firm MOMENT. The firm utilized sharp lines, steel-encased lighting rails, and pearly white surfaces to cut through the minimalist, industrial interior while simultaneously highlighting the silky elegance of the brand’s design and pieces. Inaugurating the space is SOIL & LEAF, a new collection of pleated dresses, skirts, and tops exclusively available at the new location. The exterior, interior, and garments arrive together in perfect fusion, speaking to the longevity of the brand’s ethos and signature texture.  

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Pleats Please Issey Miyake opens on December 12 at 14 Kenmare Street, New York, NY, 10012.

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