Issey Miyake’s latest design is a pair of sunglasses inspired by the art of pottery.
The glasses, named “Uroko”, are part of Miyake’s Spring summer 2026 collectionDancing texture. Instead of the typical two-lens structure, they feature eight separate lenses that curve around the temples like a trippy optical illusion. Although the design itself looks futuristic, the texture of the frames is almost organic, like a remnant of an ancient, advanced society. They will appear on Miyake’s website in mid-March for $680.
[Photo: Issey Miyake]
Each piece in the Dancing Texture collection, which includes both structured garments and wavy, patterned textiles, is inspired by the work of the late potter Kamoda Shōji, considered one of the most influential Japanese ceramic artists of the 20th century.
The Uroko glasses are not only based on a common motif from Kamoda’s work, but also mimic the finishing process of his clay pottery, making each pair unique.
[Photo: Issey Miyake]A combination of 3D printing and Japanese craftsmanship
Kamoda, died in 1983, rose to national popularity in the 1970s thanks to his approach to pottery, which combined attention to Japan’s ceramic history and his own innovative concepts. He used local clay from the small town of Tōno, which was typically used for roof tiles, making it unusually rough. Rather than relying on a potter’s wheel, he preferred to roll the clay by hand, which meant a decidedly labor-intensive process. Per an exhibition from 2022 at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, each Kamoda piece was designed to be both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
To capture that ethos of texture, function and aesthetics, Miyake’s team started with a design that pays tribute to one of Kamoda’s signature patterns. The eight lenses of the Uroko are a reference to a series of finely detailed scales, which Kamoda often returned to in his ceramic work, often as an intricate web that would cover an entire vase or bowl.
[Photo: Issey Miyake]
Miyake’s team created a custom 3D printed template for the frames, with two lens spaces for the eyes and six more spaces circling the ears. Given the unusual shapes of the glasses, mass-produced lenses were out of the question. Instead, Miyake’s team designed lenses with a specially designed concave cut to fit the compact frame.
“Each lens is cut into a shell-like shape to fit snugly into its corresponding frame,” a brand spokesperson explains. “Because the frames are small and uniquely shaped, we went through many rounds of prototyping to refine the lens geometry. Through this process, we developed a lens shape that fits seamlessly into the frame, without gaps.”
Once the lenses were ready, craftsmen from Miyake’s design team assembled each part by hand. As a final detail, they finished the frames by hand, purposefully accentuating their textured surfaces to reveal subtle variations in the 3D printed material. This step, like glazing a range of ceramics, ensures that no two glasses are the same – deliberately making any imperfections part of the design.
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