A-POC ABLE Issey Miyake

By Alexandra Mas

photos by Marco Tassini

During the Paris Fashion Week, we pushed the doors of the Grand Veneur Hotel at 60 Rue de Turenne, 75003 Paris, to discover the fascinating process of creating A-POC clothing. Between staging worthy of an art exhibition and an immersive experience, we were able to better understand the revolutionary genius of Issey Miyake.

It was in 1998 that the Japanese designer surprised the world of fashion with his A-POC concept, allowing everyone to create their own clothing by cutting a simple piece of fabric. However, it wasn’t until 2000 that this extraordinary adventure officially took off. This journey began with a mere piece of cloth and was described by Issey Miyake himself as a “new adventure, a journey that can lead us to an unknown planet.”

Ever since, A-POC has reinvented the way clothing is conceived, adopting an unconventional process based on Issey Miyake‘s fundamental concept: a simple piece of fabric and free thinking. After relentless research, A-POC chose to focus on the relationship between clothing, the human body, people’s lives, and society as a whole. This approach has opened up new perspectives and expanded the possibilities of clothing design.

In 2021, A-POC became A-POC ABLE ISSEY MIYAKE, with the addition of the term “ABLE” to signify an ambitious expansion of the A-POC system. This evolution was the result of collaboration with numerous experts from various fields, all united in their quest to explore and discover the limitless potential of A-POC.

A-POC ABLE ISSEY MIYAKE is a forward-looking brand, aiming to enhance communication between the designer and the end consumer. It is the product of dedicated experts in research and development, under the leadership of Yoshiyuki Miyamae, the chief designer of A-POC ABLE ISSEY MIYAKE. This team creates a series of ABLE products by merging with ability the heritage of Issey Miyake’s thinking with cutting-edge technologies, traditional craftsmanship, and unparalleled artistic creativity.

The creations of A-POC ABLE ISSEY MIYAKE are divided into two distinct categories: PROJECT and PRODUCT.

PROJECT involves collaborations with various sectors and industries, aiming to explore new creative processes and reimagine clothing design by combining diverse perspectives and ideas. Among these projects are the TYPE-I MM project, a documentary on clothing creation in collaboration with musicians under the direction of Michiyoshi Inoue, a one-of-a-kind conductor capable of presenting unconventional performances. There is also the TYPE-II Tatsuo Miyajima project, an installation that integrates traditional Kyoto dyeing techniques in collaboration with Tatsuo Miyajima, a contemporary artist. Lastly, the TADANORI YOKOO ISSEY MIYAKE 4, an installation exploring the latest pleating techniques.

PRODUCT presents the original A-POC ABLE system with new materials developed to create unique and versatile clothing suitable for all occasions and providing unmatched comfort to consumers. Among the series, there is TYPE-O, characterized by unconventional pleating using Steam Stretch technology, TYPE-S, a functionally designed series using the Steam Stretch method, and TYPE-B, which combines bonding different materials with printing techniques to create geometric and textured patterns.