Stockholm 2016: Japanese fashion house Issey Miyake has created a range of homeware with Finnish brand Iittala, which includes pleated place mats, tote bags and cushion covers (+ slideshow).
Launching during Stockholm Design Week, which starts today, the Iittala x Issey Miyake Collection includes 30 textile, ceramic and glass pieces for the home.
This first collaboration between the two companies has been in development for over four years and aims to merge the minimal design traditions of Finland and Japan.
"The two brands have always been true to their philosophy of timeless design and creative thinking," said Iittala design director Harri Koskinen. "They also value tradition, functionality, craftsmanship, and the use of innovative materials and methodologies in their design work."
Iittala is acclaimed for its glassware, and has previously worked with designers including the Bouroullec brothers and Cecile Manz.
Issey Miyake, set up by the Japanese fashion designer of the same name, is renowned for its innovative use of textiles in garments. Since the 1980s, the brand is particularly known for its work with pleating and has a line called Pleats Please Issey Miyake dedicated to folded garments.
The brand's latest developments in pleating range from a technique that uses steam to pleat the fabric into origami-like patterns, to a process that involves baking material in an oven.
"The continuous research and development for clothes making of Issey Miyake is now crystallised in the collaboration project with Iittala," said Midori Kitamura, president of Miyake Design Studio. "The textile items are created using not only the latest technology to fold and pleat the material but also the delicate handwork."
Textile items in this collection included a range of pleated cushion covers, table place mats, napkins and tote bags.
The pillow covers come in two variations. The first has the same chevron-like folded pattern as the bags, while the second features tighter linear pleats similar to the table adornments.
Pentagonal forms are used for tinted glass vases, ceramic tableware and tea lights, and a fabric "table flower" for storing keys on. "The pentagon suggests a non-daily element," said Kitamura.
The table flower is folded so it expands outwards when gently pulled apart, similar to Issey Miyake's 132 5. clothing range.
Items are available in a range of colours based on spring and blossoming flowers, including bright green, soft pink, cream and shades of grey.
The Iittala x Issey Miyake Collection is on show at the Wetterling Gallery during Stockholm Design Week, which runs from 8 to 14 February 2016.
Issey Miyake's previous homeware projects include a set of lamps for Artemide and a range of hexagonal stools that Tokujin Yoshioka created for the brand's stores.