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The Paper Log: Shell and Core, an exhibition that reimagines discarded paper rolls as furniture, remains on view at Fuorisalone during the Milan Design Week 2026. A project developed by ISSEY MIYAKE was conceived by Satoshi Kondo of MIYAKE DESIGN STUDIO together with Spanish architecture office Ensamble Studio. The show is inspired by the different approaches to reusing compressed rolls of paper that come out of the fashion industry as byproducts for pleated garments.
Discarded paper derived from pleating technology
The discarded paper sheets used for the exhibition were remainders of ISSEY MIYAKE’s signature garment pleating technology, which is used to protect the clothing while going through the pleating machine. Named the Paper Log due to its resemblance to a tree trunk, the rolls of paper resemble wood growth rings made of marble. The rings that are the testaments of time passed can be applied to both the life of a plant and the process of pleating.
Artistic vision by Satoshi Kondo
Satoshi Kondo got the inspiration for the paper log furniture when he saw these rolls during a visit to a manufacturer. Inspired by their materiality and log-like shape, Kondo saved the material from disposal by turning it into useful furniture pieces. At first, Satoshi cut them crosswise to create stools that were then used for seating during the ISSEY MIYAKE Spring/Summer 2025 show in Paris.
Much like a real log, the Paper Log is used as a raw material that is shaped in numerous forms through processes of sawing and carving, peeling and unrolling. Its materiality and appearance can be easily transformed with solutions that will be absorbed by the highly permeable material. As the development of furniture from paper continued and grew in scale, the part of the process was entrusted to Ensemble Studio from Spain, a partner in this project.
Shell made by Ensamble Studio
The Shell and Core exhibition has emerged from two complementary but contrasting approaches to the material: delicate vs. robust, and ephemeral vs concrete. The arrangement of the works in the store also follows these qualities. The installation gets its name from Shell, which represents the objects of memory, and Core, which represents the prototypes of furniture.
The dialogue between these different approaches is also documented in a documentary that focuses on the making process and the conversation between two partners. Shell includes the works created by Ensamble Studio, made by sculpting sheets previously peeled from the paper log. After peeling these crisp paper objects, they were then treated with hardening agents to keep the intended form.
Core by ISSEY MIYAKE team
Core is made by the ISSEY MIYAKE team. As opposed to the ephemeral qualities of the Ensamble Studio-made artworks, the Core pieces represent the prototypes of furniture. Paper logs soaked in wax, glued together or tied into bundles, take on the form of a stool, table, chair, and other furniture. The Paper Log: Shell and Core exhibition has opened on April 21, and will remain on view till May 5 at the ISSEY MIYAKE store in Milan. A part of the exhibition will be dedicated to the creative process behind every piece.
