All eyes were poised on Satoshi Kondo, who has been at the helm of Issey Miyake since SS20, to see how the house founder’s iconic legacy would be charted following his untimely death last month. Miyake himself was never one to dwell on the past, in fact, his work was always lightyears ahead of the curve, sizing up the styles to come with a refined and technical focus. A retrospective simply wouldn’t do; Kondo knew a trailblazing future was the only way forward.

And so we were introduced to A Form That Breathes, a jubilant tribute to the creation of sculpture. The Miyake models were perpetually in motion throughout, running, spinning, jumping and twirling, incensed by a moving piano score by Koki Nakano. Pleats were large and curvy, like ripples on the ocean’s surface, bubbling out into hot pink gowns, slicing open oversized blazers in electrifying mint greens and swerving trouser legs into wild and wavy streams that almost fell down the leg.

Coats and jackets continued with a bold palette of highlighter shades, giving us thick and flouncy 80s shoulders as the designer constantly toyed with proportion. Column dresses hung close to the body, minidresses were pleated diagonally, cocked to the side ever so slightly, worn at angles. One dress became dragon-like with thick, knitted spikes and illusory patterns, as if the uniform of a mythical (and impeccably stylish) realm. Victorian ruffle dresses were similarly tactile, delicate to touch even. Here was a tribute Miyake would’ve loved: bright, brilliant and utterly enchanting.