Building clothes with fabric Issey Miyake's Pleats Pleasecollections were first launched in 1993. Made from single pieces of high quality 100% polyester fabric, Pleats Pleaseclothing is innovative in its process: the clothes are first cut and sewn together two-and-a-half to three times larger than the finished garments, then individual pieces are hand fed into a heat press sandwiched between two sheets of paper. From tube dresses to cardigans, skirts, roll-necks, or elastic-waisted pants: the garment emerge with permanent pleats. This industrial process allows both texture and form to be created at the same time. Vertical pleating is used to create varying effects and architectural shapes. Pleats Pleaseclothes are very functional and practical; the garments store easily, travel well, require no ironing, can be machine-washed, and dry within an hour. Shapes are simple, colors diverse (a set of standard colors is available each season, to which are added seasonal colors and prints). The clothes' simple beauty, comfort, lightness, and ease of care have changed the way many women all over the world dress. For the first time, the story of this revolutionary clothing is told in a book. A wide array of texts and images explore the fundamental concept of Pleats Please Issey Miyake, tracing its journey from inception, through material development, to public reception. Also covered is the technology used in the production process, including the making of the original yarn-the process of pleating revealed for the first time! Exclusive photographs of the factories accompany the generous selection of images of the clothes themselves. Contributing authors: Midori Kitamura, Li Edelkoort, Issey Miyake, Olivier Saillard, Yasuko Seki, Cawaii, Jesephine Pryde, Catherine Grenier, Kazuko Sato, Antigone Schilling, Yasuo Kobayashi, Yoshiko Ikoma, Kyoichi Tsuzuki, Nicolas Gwenael, Taku Satoh, Tokujin Yoshioka, and Yuriko Takagi.