The collection is the result of a dialogue between the IM MEN Design Team and the work of Shoji Kamoda (1933–1983), a pioneer of Japanese ceramic art. His creations, rich in texture and hidden meaning, served as the starting point for a reflection on the “Power of the Hand”—the human ability to shape matter through creativity. The designers imagined wearing Kamoda’s ceramics, translating the tactile and visual sensations of his surfaces into complex, layered, and vibrant fabrics—thus, Dancing Texture.
The collection is composed of several capsules, each inspired by a specific ceramic work or technique. UROKOMON reinterprets the scale-like patterns found in Kamoda’s ceramics, resulting in a fabric that reveals hidden motifs—transforming print into movement, light, and depth. The various metallic surfaces clearly reference the silver bowl GINTO FLAT. This effect is recreated by applying silver leaf directly onto the folded garment, creating a sense of natural irregularity. Some of the nylon pieces are made from regenerated materials sourced from fishing nets—FISHING NET NYLON—embodying the dialogue between functionality and sustainability.
A sign of urban elegance, the RESILIENCE capsule features lightweight polyester suits with canvas-like textures, enhanced by adjustable ribbon details. Standing out is a series of garments with glossy pigments and binders that reinterpret the contrasts of glazed ceramics—this is the KAIU line. A key element is ENGRAVE, a series defined by the use of new technologies: wavy motifs engraved into refined Jacquard patterns, applied to heat-sensitive fabrics. Finally, EARTH is inspired by vermilion vases adorned with fluid lines—bouclé fabrics, metallic threads, and curved cuts shape silhouettes that reflect light and celebrate material imperfection as a proud symbol of authenticity.
Special attention is drawn to the debut of the collaboration between MIYAKE DESIGN STUDIO and ASICS SportStyle, unveiled alongside the IM MEN SS26 runway show. This collaboration gives rise to ISSEY MIYAKE FOOT, a research project exploring footwear as an extension of the body. The first design, HYPER TAPING, reinterprets the iconic ASICS Stripes as athletic bandages that wrap around the foot—a product that sits at the crossroads of sport and design, conceived for movement that is not only physical, but also poetic.
With this latest collection, IM MEN redefines the way clothing and the body communicate. Each garment becomes a landscape, each step an engraving. Fashion, sculpture, and performance come together in a reflection on the human gesture.
