Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka has transformed a compact retail space in Tokyo's Aoyama district into a vibrant showcase for the new Pleats Please Issey Miyake store. The innovative interior design represents a masterful study in light and materials, creating a dialogue between aluminum and glass that both absorbs and reflects natural illumination. Every surface, from the glimmering frames to the translucent displays, has been precisely measured to resonate with Issey Miyake's pursuit of functional beauty.
The store's atmosphere is defined by serene, clean lines and carefully controlled illumination throughout the space. Light moves gracefully across metallic planes and diffuses through transparent partitions, softening the overall environment without diminishing its structural rigor. As visitors move through the space, each room feels both grounded and weightless, creating an environment where architecture and garments share the same disciplined sense of rhythm and precision.
At the heart of the store stands the striking "Pleats Wall," which serves as a vivid representation of designer Issey Miyake's innovative production process. Sheets of vibrant color echo the brand's textile transformations, showcasing fabric that has been folded, pressed, and shaped into sculptural forms. The wall displays freshly pleated textiles directly from the factory along the ground floor, introducing a visual pulse to the otherwise minimal space.
Rather than functioning as simple decoration, the Pleats Wall offers genuine insight into the making of the garments themselves. Each fold and chromatic shift mirrors the precision of the design process, creating an architectural parallel to the pleating technique that defines the brand. Interior designer Tokujin Yoshioka's strategic use of repetition and alignment emphasizes the deep connection between craft, material intelligence, and the controlled expression of movement.
Glass and aluminum define the structural framework of the store, with their pairing producing an environment that feels both permeable and deliberately designed. The glass display cases are constructed through a specialized bonding technique and joined edge to edge, forming transparent enclosures that blur the traditional line between furniture and architecture. Within these cases, pleated garments are carefully rolled and arranged in chromatic gradients, lending a playful contrast to the calm restraint of the surrounding surfaces.
Every fitting and fixture throughout the store was designed specifically for this project, reflecting the brand's commitment to cohesive design. Aluminum hanger racks, precisely milled and aligned, suspend garments so they appear to hover weightlessly in space. The hangers themselves maintain their orientation through an engineered system, ensuring that the pleated pieces remain perfectly flat and evenly spaced, serving as a physical reflection of the brand's disciplined aesthetic.
The attention to design continuity extends to even the smallest details within the store. A custom "Pleats Sofa," developed exclusively for this location, carries the same lightweight and structured visual DNA as the garments it accompanies. This comprehensive approach to design ensures that every element within the space reinforces the brand's commitment to innovation and functional beauty, creating a retail environment that serves as both showcase and artistic statement.
