On a recent trip to Charleston, South Carolina, I was perusing the racks at local boutique RTW and found myself enamored with their Issey Miyake section—more specifically, the Pleats Please line. As my style continues to err towards interesting silhouettes that don't forgo comfort, the Japanese designer's sculptural yet soft confections drew me in.
Combing through Instagram a few weeks later, I stumbled upon the brand yet again. In a recent story, style maven Alexa Chung wrote, "I always wondered when I'd reach the Pleats Please phase of my life, and it's now and it's great." The accompanying photo depicted her in an olive-y green knee-length Pleats Please number that just grazed her knee.
According to the Issey Miyake website, each plissé piece is "made with a unique garment-pleating technique where the materials are developed from a single thread and pleats are added after sewing the clothes into shape." Though described as pleated, the texture is more akin to a sort of crinkled effect that adheres to an array of body types—and will adapt if your own size happens to fluctuate. The line is characterized by the consistent fabric though the silhouettes and hues of dresses and separates vary only slightly over the years.
This past summer, Lena Baranovsky of Hunting Season revealed to Coveteur that the Pleats Please Basics dress takes up residency in every suitcase she packs. "The name says it all," she explains. And as the storage guidelines ask that you store the items squished up, few clothing items are more apt for packing.
We later spotted a glistening hot pink minidress by the Japanese designer on Pinterest's head of content and creative partnerships Aya Kanai at New York Fashion Week. Diana Bartlett of @punctuallylate is also a fan, donning both their dresses and separates. Though the capsule-like collection has enjoyed modest popularity since its launch in the early '90s, Issey Miyake's Pleats Please collection is making its rounds among the sartorial elite. This spring '22 season, similar plissé offerings even popped up on the runways at Altuzarra. Simultaneously yet impossibly retro and modern at the same time, these timeless, iconic staples are definitely an interesting way to add a dynamic touch to your wardrobe.
Top photo: Courtesy of instagram/@ayakanai
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