Paris Fashion Week has been impossible to discuss without mentioning the relentless heatwave sweeping across the French capital, but even soaring temperatures couldn’t overshadow one of the week’s most anticipated presentations. IM MEN, the menswear line from Issey Miyake, returned to the schedule with In Praise of Bamboo Shadows, a collection that reaffirmed the label’s ability to balance technical innovation with poetic restraint. Staged inside the stark white interiors of Césure, punctuated only by black bamboo installations, the setting immediately established the quiet, contemplative mood that would define the show.
Inspired by East Asian decorative arts, bamboo landscapes, and the delicate layering found in traditional katazome dyeing, the collection translated these references into a distinctly contemporary wardrobe. Minimalism remains at the heart of IM MEN, although never as an exercise in simplicity. Instead, the brand uses clean lines as a foundation for experimentation, delivering garments that feel architectural yet remarkably fluid, proving once again that few labels occupy this territory with the same confidence.
Volume and layering shaped the silhouettes throughout the runway, almost in defiance of the weather outside. Airy tunics, oversized shirts, and lightweight blouses floated over relaxed Bermuda shorts, harem-inspired trousers, and more urban separates punctuated with unexpected cut-outs and openings. Every look possessed an effortless sense of movement, while the brand’s signature pleating continued to serve as both a technical and visual hallmark, sculpting garments that seemed to transform with every step.
Colour unfolded with the measured confidence that has become synonymous with the house. Black and white dominated the collection, reinforcing its graphic precision, before vivid greens, soft pinks, electric blues, and flashes of orange gradually emerged to inject energy into the otherwise restrained palette. Equally striking were the bamboo-inspired prints and textured fabrics, developed through traditional Japanese dyeing techniques and artisanal finishes that elevated even denim into something unexpectedly refined.
Accessories reinforced the collection’s distinctive identity without ever overwhelming it. Shield-like sunglasses lent the models an almost extraterrestrial presence, while the unveiling of SORTIE VEILED, the latest collaboration between ISSEY MIYAKE FOOT and ASICS, marked one of the show’s highlights. Conceived as a sneaker wrapped beneath a single uninterrupted layer, its streamlined silhouette blurred the boundaries between sportswear and everyday design, arriving in monochromatic black and vivid lime green. Elsewhere, fringed leather clogs introduced a tactile, artisanal contrast that echoed the collection’s ongoing dialogue between tradition and innovation.
Subtle Eastern-inspired sounds accompanied the procession, reinforcing the meditative atmosphere that permeated the presentation without ever competing with the clothes. Rather than relying on spectacle, IM MEN once again demonstrated that its greatest strength lies in quiet innovation, offering a vision of menswear where craftsmanship, technology, and functionality exist in complete harmony. In a season defined by extremes, In Praise of Bamboo Shadows proved that the most powerful statement can often be delivered in the softest voice.
Have a look at the IM MEN Spring/Summer 2027:
