and technology
IM MEN’s SS26 Collection: A Textile Exploration Inspired by Shoji Kamoda
The fashion world was abuzz as IM MEN, the menswear line under the Issey Miyake umbrella, unveiled its Spring/Summer 2026 collection at the prestigious Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain. Titled “Dancing Texture,” the collection is a profound tribute to the pioneering Japanese ceramic artist, Shoji Kamoda, and his unique, multifaceted textures.
Kamoda, known for his bold and uninhibited works, left a lasting impact on contemporary Japanese ceramics in just two decades. The IM MEN design team was deeply inspired by his philosophy and embarked on a journey to translate his creations into wearable garments. The result is a collection that harmoniously blends the fundamental philosophy of a piece of cloth with the richly layered textures of Kamoda’s ceramics.
The collection features series like UROKOMON, which uses a complex “bonding opal process” to recreate Kamoda’s animal-like scale patterns. The Gintō series, on the other hand, utilizes silver foil on folded garments to mimic the metallic luster of Kamoda’s pure silver pigment glazed bowls. The Kaiyu series draws inspiration from Kamoda’s plant ash-glazed ceramics, while the Engrave series incorporates wave-like carvings, similar to Kamoda’s “Waved Patterns.”
But the excitement doesn’t end there. The collection also marks the launch of “ISSEY MIYAKE FOOT,” a joint footwear project with ASICS SportStyle. This collaboration, rooted in Miyake’s concept of creating clothing from a “piece of cloth,” aims to push the boundaries of footwear design through the fusion of creativity and technology.
IM MEN’s SS26 collection is a testament to the power of collaboration and innovation, resulting in a stunning exploration of texture and form.
