Tribute to Issey Miyake at Paris Fashion Week

Japanese label Issey Miyake paid tribute to its late founder at Paris Fashion Week on Friday with the sort of choreographed dance show that he pioneered.

A black and white portrait of Miyake, who died last month at the age of 84, was projected on the walls and the show began solemnly with sober monochrome outfits.

But the dancers turned to floatier, lighter outfits and a more dreamlike atmosphere as the show went on — reflecting the label’s trademark style.

It was in the 1990s that Miyake teamed up with famed choreographer William Forsythe to put dancers among the models for a catwalk show.

It was unprecedented at the time — but is now common, as seen at the Dior show earlier this week.

Miyake, who was focused on clothes that allowed freedom of movement, also worked with the choreographer on costumes for his ballet “The Loss of Small Detail” in 1991.

The collection presented on Friday was inspired by sculpture, with three-dimensional silhouettes made with a single piece of fabric and prints created from clay shapes applied by hand to the fabric to provide relief and texture.

The house also introduced a new material, called “vegetable polyester”, which does not use petroleum products.