Spring/Summer 1989

Woman's "Origami Pleats" Dress

Issey Miyake's research into materials and technology opened new dimensions in fashion. His first Pleats collection, introduced in 1988, featured pleats that held their shape permanently and could be folded flat for storage. Rather than following traditional construction techniques that relied on prepleated fabric, Miyake cut and sewed a shape that was two to eight times the garment's actual size and then compressed it into permanent pleats using pressure and steam heat. The dress seen here was inspired by origami, the art of Japanese paper folding.