The Poetic Cartography of Homme Plissé Issey Miyake's Open Studio Collection in Florence

The Issey Miyake collection was presented amid the Renaissance gardens of the Florentine Villa Medicea della Petraia. Photograph (above) by Andrea Heinsohn. Cover picture by Jay Zoo

As the sun dipped behind the cypress-clad hills above Florence, a hush fell over the gardens of Villa Medicea della Petraia. This was no ordinary fashion show but Amid Impasto of Horizons, a meditative, sensory unveiling of Homme Plissé Issey Miyake’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection, staged not on a conventional catwalk, but in the gardens of a 16th-century Medici villa overlooking the Renaissance heart of Italy, writes Jeanne-Marie Cilento. Photographs by Andrea Heinsohn and Jay Zoo.

The majestic Villa Medicea della Petraia sits

above gardens of lemon trees and box hedges.

Photograph: Andrea Heinsohn 

ON a late summer Florentine afternoon, with azure skies above, cicadas buzzing in box hedges, and the scent of lemon blossoms filling the air from terracotta pots warmed by the sun, the gardens of Villa La Petraia were bathed in golden Tuscan light.

Once the country stronghold of the Medici, the villa has long been a place of reinvention, its layered history unfolding from medieval tower to Renaissance retreat to 19th-century royal residence. Yet on this particular evening, it played host to another kind of transformation: the unveiling of Amid Impasto of Horizons, the Spring/Summer 2026 collection by Homme Plissé Issey Miyake.

Villa Medicea della Petraia wasn’t just a backdrop, it was integral to the presentation. This historic estate, once home to Cosimo I and later a beloved retreat of King Victor Emmanuel II, tells its own story of evolution. Medieval stronghold, Medici playground, Savoy ballroom, it has worn many guises over centuries, its architecture layered over different eras.

The scent of lemon blossoms mingled with the clink of cocktail glasses, and the soft rustle of pleated fabric stirred in the breeze: this was no ordinary fashion show 

The arcaded and frescoed atrium of the villa

 with the exhibition before the runway show.

Photograph: Andrea Heinsohn

 

 

Inside, beneath the villa's soaring glass atrium and frescoes painted by Volterrano to glorify the Medici dynasty, guests explored an exhibition that peeled back the layers of the design process. 

A slim, elevated table covered in pleated fabric and encircled by sketches and studies acted as a timeline of inspiration. Paint swatches, abstract prints, pinned fabrics, and experimental pleats spiraled outward like petals. 

It was a rare and generous gesture from the Japanese fashion house: not just showing the finished product, but tracing the entire arc of thought, research, trial, and play. Here, design was not a closed system. It was a loop: fluid, adaptive, and joyfully imprecise.

Fabrics shimmered with transparency in places, lightweight nylons, recycled polyesters, and breathable knits shaped into both tailored and flowing forms, color palettes like Renaissance frescoes

The pleated, richly hued fabrics

on display at the exhibition. 

Photograph: Andrea Heinsohn 

The presentation marked the debut of Open Studio, a new direction for the Japanese fashion house, an evolving design practice grounded not in spectacle, but in observation, fieldwork, and process.

Steeped in the legacy of Issey Miyake’s lifelong devotion to movement, material, and the poetry of making, this latest chapter invited guests into a world where clothes are not just worn, but discovered, layer by layer, fold by fold, moment by moment.

The Florentine presentation marked the launch of this new and exploratory design philosophy. Instead of sketching ideas behind closed doors, the design team ventured out into Italy, absorbing the colors, textures, and atmosphere of local cities like Florence and Venice. That journey, observant, tactile, and curious, became the heart of the collection. A haiku, composed by the team, could be read by guests as they entered the villa’s sun-drenched atrium. It framed not just the collection’s ethos, but the entire evening’s experience as an unfolding of ideas.

The presentation launched Open Studio, a new direction for the Japanese fashion house, an evolving design practice grounded in observation, fieldwork, and process

Colours and shapes of Italian cities 

and landscapes inspired the new 

collection. Photograph: Jay Zoo  

“We travel,

Observing beauty in the ordinary.

We collect,

Gathering color and flavor of the vernacular fabric.

We compose,

Arranging elements redolent of the land.

Layer upon layer,

The portrayal of creativity takes shape.”

The decision to anchor this season’s inspiration in Italy wasn’t accidental. It was integral. Leaving their Tokyo studio behind, the Homme Plissé designers immersed themselves in the visual and material culture of Italy, not in search of spectacle, but of subtlety. 

They noted the faded sienna of ancient plaster walls, the wine-dark gloss of Chianti in a glass, the oxidized green of seaside anchors. These observations formed the foundation of a richly pigmented color palette: ochres, burnt oranges, vineyard purples, earthy browns, and sea-washed greys. But this wasn’t mere cultural referencing, it was a respectful act of study, an attempt to understand the Italian way of living, moving, and making, and to reimagine it through the lens of Miyake’s legacy: pleated textiles, movement, and modular design.

Leaving their Tokyo studio behind, the Homme Plissé designers immersed themselves in the visual and material culture of Italy, not in search of spectacle but of subtlety

Models winding their way through the 

16th century gardens of the villa.

Photograph: Andrea Heinsohn

Models drifted through the villa’s tiered gardens like brushstrokes come to life. There were no spotlights, no booming music, no theatrical runway moments, just the rhythm of walking, the rustle of fabric in the breeze, and the murmurs of guests seated along sculpted paths and citrus terraces. As dusk turned the stone walls to amber, the collection quietly came into focus.

Every look bore at least one pleated element, but the silhouettes played with transformation. There were painterly vests with pockets designed to hold brushes, coats that folded into travel bags, and tunics layered under open cardigans that billowed like sailcloth. It felt less like a wardrobe and more like a toolkit for wandering creatives, a wardrobe built for travel and change.

Fabrics shimmered with transparency in places: lightweight nylons, recycled polyesters, and breathable knits shaped into both tailored and flowing forms. The color palettes like Renaissance frescoes, vivid but never loud, grounded yet imaginative.

The master of technological innovation and sustainable design, Miyake was one of the first to explore recycled fabrics long before the industry caught on 

The brilliant hues and pattern of the collection

were highlights. Photograph: Jay Zoo 

Though Issey Miyake passed away in 2022, his spirit was present in each fold. The master of technological innovation and sustainable design, Miyake was one of the first to explore recycled fabrics long before the industry caught on. 

His belief in clothing as dynamic, democratic, and very human continues to shape the label.This collection was not a nostalgic tribute to the Miyake but was all about a renewal. 

What set Amid Impasto of Horizons apart was not its elegance, but a sense of care and attention that infused every detail. This wasn’t design for design’s sake, it was fashion as response, reflection, and conversation. The sculptural fabric exhibited in the villa suggested future possibilities, clothing as architecture, as poetry, as landscape. Each one was a reminder that innovation often begins not with a bold idea, but with a small observation. A splash of terracotta on a wall or a dash of sunlight on a leaf. 

As twilight gave way to night at the Villa Medicea della Petraia and the lights flickered among the trees, the collection faded from view, leaving a lasting, luminous impression

In a circular grove in the gardens,

during the rehearsal of the show. 

Photograph; Jay Zoo

With Open Studio, Homme Plissé Issey Miyake doesn’t just propose a seasonal shift, it signals a new creative rhythm. Future collections may be inspired by different geographies, new materials, or evolving cultural dialogues. 

But this inaugural journey to Italy has laid a compelling foundation: fashion embedded in research, shaped by spontaneity, and rendered in movement.

As twilight gave way to night at the Villa Medicea della Petraia and the lights flickered among the trees, the collection faded from view, leaving a lasting, luminous impression. And somewhere, between the folds of fabric and the folds of time, a new horizon has quietly begun to take shape for Issey Miyake's next evolution.

See highlights below of the Hommes Plisse Issey Miyake SS26 Florentine show below

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amid the Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026. Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Andrea Heinsohn

Homme Plissé Issey Miyake, Amid Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026, Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Jay Zoo 

Homme Plissé Issey Miyake, Amid Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026,, Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Jay Zoo

Homme Plissé Issey Miyake, Amid Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026, Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Andrea Heinsohn

Homme Plissé Issey Miyake, Amid Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026,Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Andrea Heinsohn 

Homme Plissé Issey Miyake, Amid Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026,Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Jay Zoo

Homme Plissé Issey Miyake, Amid Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026, Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Andrea Heinsohn

Homme Plissé Issey Miyake, Amid Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026,Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Andrea Heinsohn

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amid Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Andrea Heinsohn

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amid Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026, Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Jay Zoo

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amid Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026, Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Andrea Heinsohn

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amid the Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026, Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Jay Zoo

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amid the Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026, Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Andrea Heinsohn

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amid the Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026, Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Andrea Heinsohn

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amid the Impasto of the Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026. Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Jay Zoo 

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amid the Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026, Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Andrea Heinsohn

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amid the Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026. Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Andrea Heinsohn

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amid the Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026. Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Andrea Heinsohn

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amid the Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026. Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Jay Zoo

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amid the Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026. Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Jay Zoo

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amid the Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026. Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Andrea Heinsohn

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amid the Impasto of the Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026. Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Andrea Heinsohn

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amide the Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026. Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph; Jay Zoo

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amid the Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026. Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph; Andrea Heinsohn

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amid Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026. Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Jay Zoo

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amid Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026. Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Jay Zoo

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amid Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026. Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Jay Zoo

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amid Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026. Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Andrea Heinsohn

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amid Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026. Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph; Jay Zoo

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amid Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026. Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph; Jay Zoo

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amid Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026. Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Jay Zoo

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amid Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026. Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Jay Zoo

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amid Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026. Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Jay Zoo

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amid Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026. Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Jay Zoo

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amid Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026. Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Jay Zoo

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amid Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026. Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Jay Zoo

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amid Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026. Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph; Jay Zoo

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amid Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026. Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Jay Zoo

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amid Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026. Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph: Andrea Heinsohn

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake, Amid Impasto of Horizons, Spring/Summer 2026. Villa Medicea della Petraia, Florence, Italy. Photograph; Andea Heinsohn