The Japanese house's parade, the first since the pandemic, was staged by Rachid Ouramdane, director of the Théâtre National de Chaillot, bringing together models, performers and members of a collective of acrobats, Compagnie XY.

In pleated ensembles that do not impede movement, the models climbed the walls, danced and performed acrobatics.

Issey Miyake fashion show in Paris, June 23, 2022 JULIEN DE ROSA AFP

The colors are fresh and vibrant: red, yellow, green or mauve which can be worn in total looks or combined with each other.

A lightweight jacket for a curvaceous silhouette is inspired by the image of waving plants.

The pockets of some garments can be turned inside out and fastened with press studs.

The functional design is inspired by the way a bud blossoms into a flower.

The coat is transformed according to the mood of the wearer: it can be gathered around the waist using a drawstring, and its hem can be folded over to create a mid-length silhouette.

A flaming sphere at the Rick Owens fashion show in Paris, June 23, 2022 Geoffroy Van der Hasselt AFP

During the health crisis, Issey Miyake had presented his collections in videos or installations in Paris and the house, known for its shows, is among the last to return to the physical parade.

"Now that it's easier to travel around the world, we think it's the perfect time to be back with a parade," a spokesperson for the house told AFP.

Under a blazing sun in the courtyard of the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, the largest art center in Europe dedicated to contemporary creation, three spheres were set on fire before flying over the site and falling into a fountain during the parade of American Rick Owens.

A metaphor for the world "disturbed by war and constant stone throwing" on social media, according to the show's note of intent.

Rick Owens fashion show in Paris, June 23, 2022 Geoffroy VAN DER HASSELT AFP

To bring lightness, the designer uses a lot of transparencies and purifies the silhouette while keeping the exaggerated shoulders, his trademark.

For some pieces he used the skin of a giant fish from Brazil, the pirarucu, one of the many new sources of sustainable leather.

It is a material "that I use again and again", he underlined in the press release.

"Caught as a food source by the indigenous communities of the Amazon rainforest, the fish skins are then sold", a source of income for these communities.

© 2022 AFP