Bao Bao Issey Miyake

Visionary designer Issey Miyake earned a reputation for technological advancements in fashion through decades of experimentation. Often using Japanese materials and techniques in unexpected new ways, his most renowned invention is his patented garment-pleating technique, upon which he founded Pleats Please Issey Miyake in 1994. Never satisfied with the status quo, the designer revolutionized bag construction with the modular Bao Bao bag—the name stands for 'lightness' in Thai language. Triangular vinyl patches superimposed over a mesh network allow for quasi-infinite configurations and bestow the bags with an appeal usually reserved to the latest tech gadgets. Bao Bao bags were established as a standalone label in 2010. Freed from the structural constraints of the classic bag, and constantly morphing to adapt to its contents while remaining ultra-light, the Bao Bao concept extends to backpacks, tote bags, wallets, pouches, and messenger bags. Triangulated patches differ in size for enhanced flexibility, sometimes adorned with a metallic finish, or arranged in ways to produce a pattern. Bao Bao Issey Miyake has produced many styles since its inception yet still has more to explore within the innovative bag concept.