Have you ever wondered how Issey Miyake makes its globally famous pleated fabric? It’s a company-wide secret.
The brand received its first patent for its signature fabric in 1993 and Issey Miyake has continued to develop this pleated textile using state-of-the-art technology ever since. A bit of the secret was unveiled at a recent press conference to celebrate the first-year anniversary of the Issey Miyake store at Siam Discovery. The brand’s lead designer Yoshiyuki Miyamae was present to show guests how the brand’s Steam Stretch fabric is made (no photography allowed, of course).
This latest innovation, introduced on the runway a few years ago, is woven using 3D-computing technology, designed to be sensitive to over a 100-degree-Celcius hot stream and “shrunk into pleats” from the beginning—obviously not the same process done to those knock-offs you find in street markets. Steam Stretch technology allows Issey Miyake designers to go far beyond washboard-like pleats—later collections see folds that resemble origami and curvy waves.
To celebrate its success in Thailand, Issey Miyake has introduced a capsule collection that features pieces made with this exclusive Steam Stretch fabric. Three colors are available exclusively in Thailand: pastel pink, baby blue, and light gray.
