Satoshi Kondo, creative director of Issey Miyake since 2019, is redefining what it means to lead an iconic fashion house in the 21st century. Kondo, a graduate of Ueda College of Fashion in Osaka, has an eye for the conceptual yet practical—traits that have found a perfect home at Miyake. Since his early days at the company, back in 2007, he’s always approached design with a unique balance of philosophy and functionality. And now, at the helm, he’s ushering in an era that’s as much about the wearer as it is about the garment.
Kondo’s collections for Issey Miyake have been explorations of movement, lightness, and joy. Take the Homme Plissé Spring/Summer 2025 show, for instance—“Up, Up and Away.” It was a visual ode to freedom, an effortless mix of plisséd fabrics that seemed to take flight. The garments were as alive as the models wearing them, reminding us that Miyake’s original vision—to create clothes that move with life—is still very much intact, but now in Kondo’s signature style: bold, buoyant, and deeply connected to the present.
But it’s not just the runway where Kondo’s touch is felt. He’s brought new energy to Miyake’s retail experience too. The brand’s latest Paris flagship, designed by Tokujin Yoshioka, is a testament to Kondo’s vision of blending art, architecture, and fashion. A luminous orange wall, symbolizing the rising sun, greets visitors, setting the tone for a brand that’s as much about an experience as it is about clothing. It’s Kondo’s way of reminding the world that fashion, at its best, engages all the senses.
Through collaboration, innovation, and a keen respect for heritage, Satoshi Kondo is proving that Issey Miyake is more than just a label—it’s a movement. Whether it’s working with New Balance on pieces that explore the harmony between sport and style or pushing the limits of fabric technology, Kondo is ensuring that Miyake’s legacy doesn’t just endure but evolves, always staying a step ahead in the conversation about what fashion can be.