The exhibition, titled The Paper Log: Shell and Core, will open on April 21 and will combine furniture prototypes and art objects.
The collection includes stools, chairs, tables and a bench made from tightly pressed rolls of paper, which the brand calls paper logs — "paper decks."
Photo: Issey Miyake
These rolls are a by-product of the proprietary pleating process Issey Miyake, where sheets of paper are placed between pre-sewn textile pieces and run through a machine to create characteristic sculptural folds.
The idea of turning waste material into furniture belongs to the brand's chief designer, Satoshi Kondo, who suggested not to recycle paper, but to give it a new life.
Photo: Issey Miyake
Marble-like pattern
The approach to working with the material resembled woodworking: the rolls were cut, sawed, the top layers were removed, and unrolled, shaping each object by hand.
Due to the absorbent properties of the paper, the surface was additionally impregnated with wax or glue to fix the shape.
Photo: Issey Miyake
The central objects of the series were two cylindrical stools that were manually cut across, revealing a spectacular marble pattern with swirls.
"Ultra-thin pleated sheets of paper give the furniture a distinct texture reminiscent of wood and stone," he noted. Satoshi Kondo.
According to the designer, the randomness in the way the layers are compressed makes each item unique.
Photo: Issey Miyake
Colors transferred from clothing
A special visual value of the collection is created by the colored splashes that appeared on the neutral paper during the pleating process.
Under the influence of temperature and pressure, the colors of the fabrics and even the contours of the clothing silhouettes are partially transferred onto the paper sheets, leaving delicate prints. This is what, according to the authors, forms the “unintentional beauty” of the collection.
In addition to furniture, the store will also feature a series of pleated sculptures created by a Spanish design firm. Ensemble Studio.
The exhibition will combine two elements of the concept:
- Core — furniture as the "core" of the exhibition
- Shell — more delicate sculptural forms
The collection will be shown within Milan Design Week, which starts in Milan next week.
We previously wrote that Pamela Anderson created a furniture collection inspired by childhood by the sea.
See also:
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Notary's office in the style of a private gallery: a project by Oksana Dolgopyatova
Made from "dinosaur" skin: a bag made from lab-grown T-Rex collagen was introduced in Amsterdam