Online Greenlight Review

The What If? Metropolis

Emma Morley

Who is Issey Miyake?

Born in Hiroshima, Japan in 1938
Fashion designer specialising in technology-based
clothing manufacture
First collection presented in 1963 A-POC an
acronym for A Piece of Cloth

Graduated from Tama University, Tokyo in 1964

Miyake Design Studio (MDS) founded in Tokyo
in 1970
First fragrance in launched in 1992, Leau dIssey
In February 1993, one of Miyakes most famous
brands Pleats Please was launched

Inspired by Samurai
armour

Interested in work clothes

that peasants, cart drivers
and carpenters used to
wear. Studied them for
beauty and functionality

Rhythm

Uses natural or untreated wood

fibres; Indonesian batiks;
Japanese oiled paper (abura
gami); synthetic, permanently
creased material

Colour
Movement

Shells

Universal

Miyakes
Style
Easy to wear

Work is full of curiosity,

wonder and laughter

Allowed the body total freedom

of movement but at the same
time beautiful and practical

Makes dresses weighing only a few

ounces. Concentrated hard on
reducing the weight of clothing

Comfortable

Waves

Collects watches which he

never winds up, mimicking
his unhurried pace

Starburst collection thin membranes of metallic

paper are heat-pressed on to clothes made of soft
cotton, flannel, wool, felt or jersey. These sheets of
metal were torn open along the lines of the creases to
reveal the random patterns

Miyake Design Studio (MDS)

Designed by Kojiro Kitayama.
Outside is windowless and illuminated by light wells.

Inside, everything is open plan, with a storage system

where everything is kept out of sight.
Rooms whose shapes can be changed at will. Almost as if
the room changes size to allow staff to move around.
Everything is done with exceptional grace and attention.
Always alert but very calm.
There are 100 different shades of white.
Isseys office consists of a light-coloured wooden table
with a box filled with trusted market pens which he has
used for over twenty years.

Miyake quotes:The spirit of curiosity and pleasure is at the heart of our

work and thats exactly what we wish to share with the
visitors.
Instead of thinking about how clothes were made I started
to think about how they were used.
I think that ideas are like clothes one should be able to
change them easily.
My work consists, above all, or simplifying and purifying.
Just showing the result of my work doesnt interest me; I
want to show the process.
If I think something today, theres no certainty that I wont
think differently in one year.
From the beginning I thought about working with the
body in movement, the space between the body and
clothes. I wanted the clothes to move when people moved.
The clothes are also for people to dance or laugh.

There are so many different colours and materials, and the relations which exist between them are
very subtle, for it is the combination of these two elements which creates an emotion.
I am above all stimulated by the work of my contemporaries, living artists who are my friends.
(Christo, Jeanne-Claude, Anselm Kiefer)
Many artists have influenced me: Isamu Noguchi, Irving Penn, Lucie Rie, Robert Rauschenberg, Akira
Kurosawa, Shiro Kurumata, etc.
I hope to continue bringing craft and industry together in order to produce work which will provoke
humour, fun and emotion.

Issey Miyake on the relationship between his work and Architecture:-

It doesnt really have any, even though architecture, the idea of building a city, interests me
greatly. Architecture is a fascinating idea, but in my opinion it should not be considered simply from an
aesthetic point of view. Architecture has the power to make people react. In France, where you not
only find new buildings but a variety of transformations of old ones, architecture really provokes
reactions. The Centre Georges Pompidou or the Fondation Cartier are examples of this.
Architecture allows us to create striking
contemporary pieces which make you want to find out
what theyre like inside. I remember how amazed I was
when I saw the Centre Georges Pompidou or the
pyramid of the Louvre for the first time! Thats the role
of architecture to give off real energy by its mere
presence.

Left: Issey Miyake Foundation

Influence Maps
This Influence Map of some of Miyakes work shows the
style and colouring he used. His main ideas were to let the
body and the clothing work with each other. He liked to
interfere with the fabrics as little as possible and leave
them so the wearer could adapt as they please. One of his
ranges A-POC (which stands for A Piece of Cloth)
introduced the idea that one piece of fabric is printed with
the clothing and the wearer could cut the pieces out as
desired. Another range, called Pleats Please
revolutionised the way his fabrics were made and allowed
for the garments to have permanent creases which gave
much more freedom of movement and also meant the
clothing fit very comfortably and was light enough that it
barely felt like it was touching the skin. These garments
could also be folded into very small sizes for ease of
storage, without affecting the quality and look of the
unpacked piece.

Influence Maps
On this page I have shown a selection of some of the
research I have carried out following on from looking at
Miyakes work. The top two images are by Christo and
Jean-Claude who are major influences on Miyake. The
building in the bottom right is the Issey Miyake
Foundation, which I want to incorporate into my city
somehow. I also like the low and spacious feel of the
architecture and the surrounding area. The membrane
structure and canopy images show the type of adaptable
features I believe Miyake would be interested in using in a
city. Also included are the pleats texture which Ill use
widely as it is such a strong part of Miyakes work and the
shell structure showing the adaptability of his pieces.
At this point, Im not sure I have fully decided on the exact
look for my city, but through my various research and the
thumbnails which will follow, I feel I am getting closer.

Travelogue
Walking through Efileno is like a sigh of relief. The cool, calm yet crisp atmosphere fills you with a
refreshing and fulfilling energy. Like a sip of fresh, sparkling water with just a spritz of lemon, the city lifts the
spirits and instils a zest for life into any troubled mind. There is a definite buzz of activity but much unlike the
regular metropolis one is used to. People are going about their busy lives but in peaceful serenity; with grace and
dignity. Rarely do we see any upsets or any restlessness everyone is happily occupied and enjoying every minute
of their productivity.
There is a light and airy feeling to the city, with pale and smooth walkways and flat, clean lines which
sweep out as far as the eye can see. Canopies overhead offer the eyes much protection from the bright sun and
the sounds of the fabrics swishing in the breeze offer a homely comfort to the ears. In taut shells we can see
children enjoying a lesson, yet when the wind is not so strong and the air is warm, the shells become slender
frames with wonderful free-flowing awnings. Fences and shelters are changed at will providing a different feel to
the area every time we pass through. Stairs which were never there before seem to project out of buildings as we
pass by and bridges which are there one day have disappeared completely the next. Nothing stays the same in
Efileno, it is forever changing; forever progressing and what was in place yesterday will not be there today or
tomorrow.
Although simple and clean, the city is full of texture. Ripples and pleats adorn walls, clothes, floors and
even entire structures. Sometimes a home will appear before our very eyes, extruded from the ground within what
seems a matter of minutes . Shops, homes and workspaces are unfolded; unpacked; increased or decreased in size

to suit those inside and are indeed completely moveable. No two views of the city are the same from one day to
the next. The city relies mainly on an underground shuttle transport system to get from one place to another.
Residents have no need for their own vehicles as they will simply move their home or business to suit their
requirements. As opportunities arise, the families adapt and move in an unfussy and efficient fashion. Employment
is high in the town and everything flows like the waves on the sea. People come and go with a hushed lull, yet
always leaving their mark. Friendships are strong and loyal and help is never too far away. Children can play freely
and happily and although the city dwellers are safe to roam at any time of day or night, sunset marks the start of
the rest period. Despite the leisurely feel to the city, the residents work hard and are proud of their commitment
to their jobs and to each other. The time for rest is much respected and family traditions are upheld with ardour.
The landscape of Efileno is flat and spans a wide area, though there are mountainous regions on the
outskirts. Some of the faces of the rock are wrapped and so the elements bring with them a new distant view. The
cityscape is ever evolving, with tall buildings, angular buildings, straight sides, curved slopes, flowing covers, taut
casings the city has the same flow and movement as the breeze in the air. It is almost as if the building and
inhabitants are one the city is an entire. With each intake of breath, one feels in control and comfortable in the
being that they are. With the outbreath, cares and worries are blown away, much like the fabrics, breathing all
around. The buildings and the inhabitants work together to create harmony and reassurance. Colours are bright in
Efileno and their boldness give us a sense of strength and empowerment. Oranges, reds, blues, yellows and greens
are scattered among the many shades of white to add pops of joy throughout the metropolis.
Among the modest dwellings are fabulous displays of architecture. Some, such as the theatre, the
leisure area and the gardens are adorned with the most organic and elegant membrane structures, whereas the
inner city is built up of more solid, rigid and angular designs. Glass and water are combined to provide a fluidity
and glint among the flat colours of the landscape and enhance the movement among the flapping shrouds. One

values the view of the moon or the sun and when the time comes that the view is obstructed, the building is simply
extended and stretched upwards or moved entirely. Nature is evident in the form of structures just as they are in
the living beings themselves. Shells, casings and cocoons are as evident in the skyline as they are in the natural
surroundings and many plants and creatures co-exist with the world which mimics their shape and form. The city
and its inhabitants just seem to fit. The amenities are utilised, homes are cared for and maintained, and
everything flows in a natural rhythm. Nothing is rushed but everyone is productive. Natural, untreated woods and
ancient papers are coupled with innovative manufacturing methods. Old is coupled with new to create
ultramodern statements. Revolutionary work has derived from the ideas and the traditions of yesteryear, again
honouring the history and ancestry of the town.
On reflection, although some may see it as slightly stark on first sight, Efileno has an exuberance and
energy which needs no explanation or expression, other than that which the city itself portrays. Those that have
visited leave feeling refreshed and renewed and perhaps with a new view to work and life ethics. Work can be
hard and challenging but if we accept this with a light heart and a strong determination, then anything is possible.
One will always remember the fresh and clear vista and the calming, natural sounds. The smells of fresh flowers
and freshly cut grass and the gentle hum of busy workers, like happy bees enjoying the nectar of their own
environment. The vibrant colours will stay in our mind like a kaleidoscope among the palette of white and the
textures will beckon us back to unwind in the shapes and flowing ceilings of curiosity.

Thumbnails