Issey Miyake inprint ME has made a bag that is, if you are imaginative enough, also a necklace of sort

The Issey Miyake studio is known for their many innovative products. And also for the incorporation of traditional crafts, such as origami, within their deeply modern approach to design. In fact, it can be said that Issey Miyake and the paper craft are rather synonymous, having bases many of their ideas for both clothing and bags on folding fabrics into beautiful geometric shapes. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that there could be such a bag, as pictured above. This may look like a mini-me of an existing style of bag, but it isn’t.

Folded into a flat pinwheel (if even your grandmother can’t tell you what this is, let’s just say it’s a kid’s toy from long, long ago, made of a ‘wheel’ from a piece of cut square paper and attached in the middle on a stick. Hold it against the wind, and it spins. Not good enough? Ask ChatGPT!), it opens up into a rather capacious tote that can be strapped across the body. The real challenge could be in the folding it back to this.

To us, the bag in its utility form is the not the main lure. This could be the ideal shopping bag to bring out, except that it does not need to be cast aside in the main satchel that you carry on a daily basis. A pinwheel with straps, it is attractive enough to be worn as a neck pouch or even a crossbody. We like the neckwear idea better. On a white shirt or tee, the bold, symmetrical, graphic shape beats the tiny pendants that so many prefer on the their necks. Conspicuous need not be bland or, worse, loud.

Issey Miyake ME Boom Pleats Crossbody Bag, SGD165 is available at Issey Miyake, voco Orchard. Photo: Issey Miyake