At the intersection of high fashion and industrial design, the Issey Miyake studio has unveiled a collection of furniture that repurposes the remnants of its signature pleating process. Handcrafted from tightly compressed, log-like rolls of paper salvaged from garment production, the pieces debuted at Milan Design Week as a study in material transformation. The marbled surfaces and organic forms suggest a second life for the industrial offcuts that usually vanish behind the scenes of the runway.
The collection has prompted a familiar tension in the design world: the friction between aesthetic beauty and functional intent. While observers have praised the subtle color palettes and the tactile quality of the paper rolls, critics have questioned the utility of the designs. An armchair in the collection, in particular, has been framed by some as an exercise in sculptural art rather than furniture—a use of reusable materials that prioritizes form over the ergonomics required for daily use.
This debut arrives alongside several other major shifts in the built environment featured in recent design discourse. From BIG’s aluminum-wrapped performing arts center in Nashville to the opening of the V&A East Museum in London, the current design cycle is increasingly focused on textural experimentation and the repurposing of industrial motifs. Miyake’s foray into furniture suggests that even the most specialized manufacturing waste can be elevated into a permanent object, provided the viewer is willing to accept a narrower definition of utility.
With reporting from Dezeen.
Source · Dezeen
