–SPECIAL– "ISSEY MIYAKE MEN" 98AW garment-pleated cotton tailoring set-up

Continuing to explore the relationship between body and fabric, and weaving technology and craft with equal passion, ISSEY MIYAKE presents a special piece that embodies the dense sensibility of the transitional period of fall/winter 1998, with experimental garment pleats.

This piece features a cotton textile with a quiet vertical texture that suppresses light while speaking of dignity through shadows.

First and foremost, the unique expression of this fabric, different from typical corduroy, is created by a special pleating process applied after manufacturing a flat fabric, resulting in fine vertical ripples. Based on 99% cotton with 1% polyurethane, it maintains a three-dimensional texture that is easy to keep, with slight responsiveness to movement, enhancing its completeness as everyday wear.

The jacket features a neat three-button design with a slightly longer length and a boxy balance, maintaining the comfort of classic tailoring while the material's undulations soften the outline, creating a mood that is not stiff. The lapel does not overly assert itself, and the shoulder line is not exaggerated, allowing the pleats' shadows to stand out on the front, with a sense of depth that varies with the viewing angle. Additionally, three buttons on the cuffs subtly enhance the formality while maintaining a quiet elegance.

The inside is fully lined, with a smooth lining that allows for natural layering in fall and winter, and the pleats' texture is clearly felt through touch, not just visually, which helps to refine the wearer's movements and sense of distance, embodying the structural beauty characteristic of ISSEY MIYAKE MEN.

The trousers are designed to fit neatly around the waist and naturally fall from the thighs to the hem, emphasizing the vertical flow when paired as a set-up, creating a complete look even with simple coordination. The continuous ridges around the waist also ensure that when the top is tucked in, the visual information remains uninterrupted, and the minimal design does not become flat, which is a pleasing feature.

Furthermore, the reason this can be identified as from the fall/winter of 1998 is that the code ME83 with the letter E at the end indicates the year 8 in the old system, and the font style of the tag print and the ISSEY MIYAKE MEN white-out box logo are consistent with late 1990s specifications, confirming it as from 1998 rather than 1988 or 2008. Additionally, the placement of the company name ISSEY MIYAKE and "Made in Japan" around the management number also matches the standard format of that time, supporting its authenticity.

The late 1990s was a period when the philosophy of pleats established by PLEATS PLEASE was accelerating its crossover into men's tailoring, and this piece can be seen as a source that connects to later HOMME PLISSE, with clear archival value. Notably, the set-up with ME product numbers remaining intact is highly valued in the market, and it is not just vintage clothing but also a layered possession of techniques and ideas, making it clearly worth holding.

This masterpiece is especially recommended for those who want the formality of a suit but find the finished form of wool serge with a sense of déjà vu unsatisfactory, and for those who want to wear a quiet sense of discomfort as a mark of dignity, as well as for those who want to look proper in daily life without compromising their aesthetic sense.

Styling-wise, keep it clean with a setup, and create some whitespace with plain T-shirts or simple shirts as innerwear, so that the shadow of the pleats stands out as the main feature. To make it more MOOD-like, layer a long coat or a minimal wool outerwear to extend the vertical line, and match leather shoes at the feet for texture consistency, resulting in a high-completion, genderless style that is both elegant and mode. When paired with slacks, the jacket alone leans towards a neat look, and the trousers alone stand out with textured tops, making it practical as a core piece that can be styled or deconstructed into different outfits.

Definitely take this opportunity.