ISSEY MIYAKE MEN Invisible Blue

"Invisible Blue"

Knowing that dynamic natural phenomena such as the earth and lava serve as inspirations for the clothing creation, I was deeply fascinated by this perspective, the profound thinking behind it, and the unique production process. This became the starting point for the store design. Using iron—a material that has long been a key element of the store’s construction—I attempted to “generate” natural phenomena as a backdrop for the clothing. Focusing on the oxide film formed on the iron surface through its reaction with oxygen in the air, I heated weathered iron plates with a burner. As the iron surface temperature rises, the oxide film thickens, causing light waves entering it to reflect and interfere, creating the illusion of coloration. Through repeated experiments, I examined the compatibility with the clothing and optimized the blue hues that emerge within a limited heating time.The iron plates arranged on the walls catch the light from different angles, emitting an almost self-luminous “blue that should not be visible,” momentarily visualizing the inspiration as a fleeting backdrop to the clothing.