In the men-part of the Japanese Fashion House Issey Miyake-with an exhibition at the Berlin fashion retailer Andreas Murkudis, where the autumn/winter 2025 collection is now also available. This is intended to establish the fire in the German market and be taught closer: inside.
But what is hidden behind the menswear brand, what makes it so special and how does she pursue Miyake’s philosophy to manufacture clothing from one piece? This explains the chief designers Sen Kawahara, Yuki ItaKura and Nobutaka Kobayashi.
About the one in the men of the men:
The creative process is directed at the men of sen Kawahara, Yuki ItaKura and Nobutaka Kobayashi, all three of them have their own expertise and are members of the overarching Miyake Design Studios (MDS). They were selected in 2019 by the founder of the Japanese fashion house for the introduction of the line for this task and were all active for various brands and lines at MDS for many years.
Sen Kawahara specializes in design and development. He initially worked on Pleat’s please Issey Miyake and then on in-ei Issey Miyake. In 2010 he became part of the design team from 132 5th Issey Miyake and later added Homme Plissé Issey Miyake. In addition to the design of Issey Miyake Eyes, he is currently involved in the men.
Yuki ItaKura also specializes in design and development and, like Kawahara 2010, came to the design team from 132 5th Issey Miyake. In addition to his role in the men and please, he still works for this.
Nobutaka Kobayashi brings over ten years of experience from the textile design of the women’s collections from Issey Miyake. The textile designer then switched to Me Issey Miyake and Homme Plissé. In 2017 he joined the design team from 132 5. He currently works as a textile designer for in men.
How does other brands from the Issey Miyake universe differ?
Sen Kawahara, Yuki ItaKura and Nobutaka Kobayashi: We pursue Miyake’s philosophy of clothing from one piece from the perspective of men’s fashion. One of our strengths and characteristic features lies in our creation process, which combines design and engineering as teamwork. Instead of restricting us to certain techniques such as pleated blinds, we actively integrate different approaches to research new manufacturing methods and new forms of beauty. This also opens up opportunities for designs that arise from the engineering itself.
The concept is based on researching new opportunities in design and production and at the same time creating functional products. How do you proceed?
Some typical examples are the flat foldable and compact design, wrinkle -free and light material, design with awareness of human movement and the production of a piece of fabric.
Overview of design principles:
Flat foldable (compact) design: space -saving for trips and in the wardrobe, no ironing and no brackets
Right -free, light material: ensures freedom of movement and lighter care, conveniently like loungewear and therefore more universal – at home and on the go
Original design with awareness of the human movement: Use of machine and ironing folds as well as organic folds- like wrinkle folds- ensure structure that naturally follows the movements of the body.
Made from a single piece of fabric and designed in such a way that as little material as possible is left: wearing sustainable production by reducing the manufacturing process and the effort for the recycling of fabric residues.
For this, many different skills seem to be combined …
The design team at the men works closely together and consists of members who are experienced in both design and technology. Each: R of us is not only able to design, but also to accompany the process and even manufacture.
Of the three core members of the team, Sen Kawahara and Yuki ItaKura come from Pattern-Making, while Nobutaka Kobayashi specializes in textiles. Each member of the team also has experience in other areas – from shoes and bags to glasses and lighting – which enlarges the range of ideas and techniques that we can bring into our work.
At the men, we also focus on the development of our own textiles, and here too, interdisciplinary knowledge is the key to new ways of thinking and unique perspectives.
The Homme Plissé team travels to get to know different countries and their inhabitants. Where does inspiration for men come from?
From all that we meet in everyday life, what we experience on travel – like the Homme Plissé team – and also through the many occasions that we have to see exhibitions, films and more. We are always looking for the things that move us.
To present your collections, use various approaches such as performances and exhibitions. What difference make these types of representation?
The performance of a show is not just about presenting styling, but also expressing the relationship with the body and the rather spiritual aspects. In contrast, an exhibition serves as a place to emphasize other perspectives such as textiles and structures that cannot be fully conveyed in the limited period of a show. It also reflects our intention of creating opportunities that are more open and accessible to a wider audience.
What can the visitors expect at “Fly With Im Men” in the store of Andreas Murkudis?
Unique products of IM men that are created by the combination of Japanese traditional techniques with the latest technology. Our approach and aesthetics differ from western traditions because they are rooted in the “piece of fabric”, the design philosophy of Issey Miyake. Above all, however, this exhibition enables the audience to experience the textures and the three -dimensionality of the clothing, something that cannot be fully conveyed by pictures or videos.
To what extent does the exhibition build on the existing collections?
The exhibition is based on the autumn/winter collection 2025/26, which was presented in Paris in January 2025, followed by the immediately subsequent exhibition. From this collection that started with the creation of textiles, representative products for the exhibition were selected.
The exhibition started in Paris and then traveled to Japan – Tokyo and Osaka. Berlin is now the fourth city. The presentation is adapted to every room and offers a unique experience at every place.
About in men:
In the Men, a manwear brand of the Issey Miyake fashion house launched in 2021, which is intended to pursue new possibilities of design and manufacture. As with all Miyake lines, the “A Piece of Cloth” philosophy (German: a piece of fabric) focuses on. Functionality and creativity meet. The abbreviation “im” is based on the former brand “Im Product”, which was available from the end of the 70s to the 1990s.
There is currently one in the men store in Aoyama, Japan. There are also three sales areas in department stores in Japan, Taiwan and China. The brand is also sold in several Issey Miyake stores, of which seven are located in Japan and ten in international markets and metropolises-Thailand, Taiwan, People’s Republic of China, Singapore, Hong Kong, New York, London, Paris, Milan and Zurich. In addition, around ten retail partners works in men: inside in North America and Europe, including Andreas Murkudis in Berlin.
This interview was conducted in writing.