The KURA gallery of ISSEY MIYAKE KYOTO presents KURA Exhibition “OBI Backpack and Tote bag.”

KURA Exhibition “OBI Backpack and Tote bag”

ISSEY MIYAKE has consistently worked on manufacturing with the concept of “a piece of cloth” with the aim of creating a better relationship between the body and clothes.
Among them, 132 5. ISSEY MIYAKE, which started in 2010, continues to challenge the possibilities of new manufacturing while inheriting that philosophy.
The numbers in “132 5. ISSEY MIYAKE” each have a meaning: 1 piece of cloth becomes a 3-dimensional form and folds back into a 2-dimensional plane.The last digit “5” separated by a space from the first three refers to the dimension of time that comes into being when the clothes are worn by people.
This exhibition presents the “OBI” bag as the product of 132 5. ISSEY MIYAKE’s creative process.
The bag is named OBI because it folds and lays flat with its shape resembling a kimono sash, yet when lifted up it becomes a 3-dimensional bag practical for everyday use.
The bag’s unique shape has qualities of both flatness and volume, which is made possible by the creative use and manipulation of an exclusive fabric that hardens with heat.
This exhibition looks at the construction of the OBI bag by disassembling it into components, and demonstrates its assembly with a video, revealing the innovation and fun of making an OBI bag.