Romantic focus on the flower’s life and body mapping concept of layers, sheers and tribal prints are mixed with excellent tailoring and dreamy palette of spring colors merged with vibrant splash of hues on Issey Miyake’s catwalk for Spring/Summer 2012 season. As the name of the collection indicates “Bloom Skin”, the line is a metaphor of flower’s existence with the reference to the woman nature – beautiful, ethereal imagery of a flower that may also be extremely strong and cruel with the hidden poison. Every single silhouette from the collection is a dedication to Japanese artisanship merged with ultramodern technology influence resulted in the affinity to the nature. The experimental concept of body mapping and cut outs with silky fabrications were accentuated with colour diffusion hair, imaginative headpieces and artistic accessories – the result of the collaboration with milliner Christophe Coppens and jewelry artist Tzuri Gueta.

The catwalk is initialized with the stunning piano compilation accompanied with laser rays. The overview of the collection symbolizes the progress of flowers lifeline starting from the initial bud phase with the powdery nudes of triacetate-mixed fabric. The headpieces have a crucial role in presenting the graduation of buds opening.

Transforming into stem form there is a juxtaposition of pale tones with architectural silhouettes and strong fabrication – the idea originated from the structure of plants. Apparently, fragile stem encapsulates loads of strength with well – built structure under the microscopic view. Double thick fabrics as well as yarn techniques merged with sheer smoothness are the designer’s response to this phase.

Petal phase creates the body-mapping concept mixed with the sporty sophistication feel. Translucent textures are the result of artisanship taken from traditional dye house in Kyoto. The fabric knit composed from two types of fibres is involved in a special process in order to create a double effect of sheer and graphic prints on the fabrics. The graphic designs resemble tribal tattoo patterns with the affinity to the sporty style thanks to the bold colours and eye-catching leggings made of flexible fabric and mesh.

Following the phase of blossom, the collection develops with the cast of pastel outfits enriched with dynamic cuts and petal-like forms ready to unfurl with their inner beauty in the core. Another interesting spotlight into the blossom phase is visible in the clustered seams formed with colored lace taping representing atomic view on the veins on the leaf. Tzuri Gueta designed the accessories for blossom phase maintained in the flower concept.

Bloom – vibrant prints and voluminous forms in Issey Miyake Spring Summer 2012 collection depict the final stage of the flower’s growth that amazes both with vigor and with softness. The line of jumpsuits and dresses mesmerize with movement attributes through the billowing forms, tranquility of drape and subtle gradation of hues.

This is the first collection under the reign of the new creative director of the house –Yoshiyuki Miyamae who previously worked in the brand for 10 years. The line seems to be a successful continuation of theIsseyMiuyake’s signature with ethereal feeling yet down to earth function. As Miyamae proves in the collection’s appearance, he softened the edges stamping his own aesthetic on the brand. Highly inspired by the bloom phases, Miyamae examined the whole process of the cell textures and flower growth with the microscope tools. Thanks to that he was able to grasp the genuine concept of the flower bloom.

Worth to mention is the sentence mentioned in the press kit information: “We wish to work in a way that gives everybody involved in making and wearing these clothes dreams and hopes”.

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