An edit

Sculptural dressing

Pleats, volume and shapes that move. Issey Miyake, UJOH, MM6, RUOHAN.

Sculptural dressing builds an outfit around volume, sharp folds and pronounced structure rather than clinging to the natural line of the body. Black wool, crisp cotton and pleated textiles hold distinct angles that shift cleanly as you walk. Much of it comes from Issey Miyake, who sewed clothes far larger than their final size and then pressed them into pleats.

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake shapes heat set pleats into trousers that bounce and keep their form. Pleats Please Issey Miyake, launched in the nineties, makes light pleated pieces that are easy to wash and pack. UJOH, Mitsuru Nishizaki's label from Tokyo, builds its coats and suits on bold pattern cutting, while Rick Owens is known for dropped crotches and long, draped shapes.

Wide pants, structured jackets, flared skirts and clean shirts form the backbone of these outfits. Balance exaggerated shapes on top by pairing them with straight trousers and flat leather shoes. WDLT117 in Toronto carries nearly all of it, Utopia adds Rick Owens trousers, and Due West adds Masnada's tailoring from Italy.

RUOHAN Skara Jacket Dune in Beige at WDLT117 on within
RUOHAN
Skara Jacket Dune
NZ$1,881
WDLT117
Undercover Wool Languid Jacket Black at WDLT117 on within
Undercover
Wool Languid Jacket Black
NZ$3,503Last one
WDLT117
MM6 Maison Margiela Mirrored Two-tone Zip Jacket Anthracite in Black at WDLT117 on within
MM6 Maison Margiela
Mirrored Two-tone Zip Jacket Anthracite
NZ$1,530NZ$2,407
WDLT117
Song for the Mute Daisy Oversized Coat W Brown at WDLT117 on within
Song for the Mute
Daisy Oversized Coat W Brown
NZ$2,141
WDLT117
Pleats Please Issey Miyake Mellow Pleats Sleeveless High Neck Dress Charcoal at WDLT117 on within
Pleats Please Issey Miyake
Mellow Pleats Sleeveless High Neck Dress Charcoal
NZ$1,259
WDLT117
Ottolinger Liberated Double Shirt Dress White, front view, at WDLT117 on within
Ottolinger
Liberated Double Shirt Dress White
NZ$868NZ$1,492Last one
WDLT117
MM6 Maison Margiela Folded Wool Dress Dk. Grey, front view, at WDLT117 on within
MM6 Maison Margiela
Folded Wool Dress Dk. Grey
NZ$1,745
WDLT117
RUOHAN Tahi Dress Onyx in Black at WDLT117 on within
RUOHAN
Tahi Dress Onyx
NZ$1,064
WDLT117
Pleats Please Issey Miyake Thicker Pleated Cocoon Pants Black at WDLT117 on within
Pleats Please Issey Miyake
Thicker Pleated Cocoon Pants Black
NZ$1,103Last one
WDLT117
UJOH Belted Wide Pants Sand at WDLT117 on within
UJOH
Belted Wide Pants Sand
NZ$1,324
WDLT117
Litkovska Ruffled Midi Skirt Beige at WDLT117 on within
Litkovska
Ruffled Midi Skirt Beige
NZ$1,363Last one
WDLT117
Undercover Asymmetric Skirt Black at WDLT117 on within
Undercover
Asymmetric Skirt Black
NZ$941Last one
WDLT117
UJOH Random Hem Flare Skirt Navy at WDLT117 on within
UJOH
Random Hem Flare Skirt Navy
NZ$1,486Last one
WDLT117
Coperni Gathered Hem Tailored Skirt Beige at WDLT117 on within
Coperni
Gathered Hem Tailored Skirt Beige
NZ$518NZ$941Last one
WDLT117
Sulvam Dolman Zip-up Jacket Bio in Blue at WDLT117 on within
Sulvam
Dolman Zip-up Jacket Bio
NZ$907NZ$2,141Last one
WDLT117
Issey Miyake Wavelet Ensemble Jacket Black, front view, at WDLT117 on within
Issey Miyake
Wavelet Ensemble Jacket Black
NZ$1,492
WDLT117
Song for the Mute "Daisy" Pleated Skirt Navy worn by a model, at WDLT117 on within
Song for the Mute
"Daisy" Pleated Skirt Navy
NZ$1,032Last one
WDLT117
Song for the Mute Pleated Mini Skirt Beige at WDLT117 on within
Song for the Mute
Pleated Mini Skirt Beige
NZ$772Last one
WDLT117
MM6 Maison Margiela Washed Denim Wide-leg Jeans in Blue, front view, at WDLT117 on within
MM6 Maison Margiela
Washed Denim Wide-leg Jeans
NZ$1,161Last one
WDLT117
Marine Serre Denim Barrel Jeans L.Blue, front view, at WDLT117 on within
Marine Serre
Denim Barrel Jeans L.Blue
NZ$1,246Last one
WDLT117
Coperni Belted Suede Mini Dress Brown, front view, at WDLT117 on within
Coperni
Belted Suede Mini Dress Brown
NZ$2,044Last one
WDLT117
UJOH Sailor Collar Dress Sand at WDLT117 on within
UJOH
Sailor Collar Dress Sand
NZ$2,128
WDLT117
MM6 Maison Margiela Pinstripe Wool Wide-leg Trousers Black, front view, at WDLT117 on within
MM6 Maison Margiela
Pinstripe Wool Wide-leg Trousers Black
NZ$1,291
WDLT117
RUOHAN Cocoon Skirt Ecru at WDLT117 on within
RUOHAN
Cocoon Skirt Ecru
NZ$1,064
WDLT117

Looks in this edit

Common questions

What is sculptural dressing?
It is an approach to fashion that uses three dimensional tailoring, firm pleats and architectural volume to create standalone silhouettes.
How do you wear sculptural pieces every day?
Pair one dramatic piece, like a wide pleat trouser or cocoon coat, with clean, plain separates so the shape stays defined. Avoid fussy accessories that compete with the geometry of the cloth.
Which designers specialize in sculptural silhouettes?
Homme Plisse Issey Miyake develops heat pressed pleats that hold geometric forms, while UJOH builds coats and suits on bold pattern cutting.