It jumps! It shimmers! It has names like "Starburst," "Flying Saucer," "Tidal Wave" and "Twist." It can parade across the floor with a giant bolt of fabric trailing after. What is it? It's the fashion of "Issey Miyake Making Things" on view through February 29, 2000 at the Ace Gallery at 275 Hudson Street in the South Village of Manhattan.

This is an exhibition definitely worth seeing. Highlighting the work of Japanese fashion designer Issey Miyake, the show enthralls, surprises as well as illustrates the techniques and style of Miyake. To merely describe this show as "fashion" seems an understatement. Miyake ingeniously and imaginatively bridges several forms of media. His fashion works could also be described as sculptures or installations. The series of jumping clothes could be described as choreography with their fluidity of motion in relation to the human body. Understandably, he has collaborated in the past with choreographer William Forsythe on costumes for the Frankfurt Ballet.

Six galleries underscore various themes and original techniques of fabric design and construction by Miyake. The most enchanting gallery is entitled "Jumping" which has charmed children as well as adults. Over twenty unique articles of clothing are suspended from air or, if on the ground, can be propelled upwards into the air to completely unfold. Silvers, golds, bronzes, blue-grays, burgundies, creams, blacks and multicolored fabrics are employed to create a fantasia of movement. Miyake is quite the king of the pleat, crumple and fold and how these design elements can interact with the movement of the human form. Long dresses constructed of various colored tubes can be unfolded from flat on the floor to an ankle-length, three-dimensional gown. "Flying Saucer" is the pleating technique he uses to manifest this vision. Unpredictable angles of fabric can jut out from the neck, shoulders, arms or hips to create sci-fi, fantasy-looking outfits, such as "Bamboo," "Mantis" or the "Zig Zag" dress. "Tidal Wave" gives the effect of a shimmering, blue-gray falling wall of water. "Bouncing Dress," needless to say, bounces quite playfully. The blending of subtle hues is especially exquisite in creating shades of color not often seen.

The "Laboratory" gallery employs videos to show how Miyake overlaps various images to create original combinations of fabrics, colors and textures, utilizing both natural as well as synthetic materials. In fabric innovation he created a "Flying Saucer" or pleating technique; "Twist" or twisting technique; "Torrents," a crushing technique; "Papier de Bonbon," a crumpling and pressing technique; "Dunes" is a shrinking technique and "Tubed Veil" is a partial shrinking technique. Another gallery sports all bright red dresses uniquely covering and revealing various aspects of the human figure. Lines of red fabric wound throughout the space making the installation in this gallery room visually interesting. Yet another gallery presents a parade of long black dresses, one train of black fabric connecting them all together. They are attached at the end of the queue, and appear to be "emerging" immediately from, a giant bolt of the same black fabric near the door.

Definitely an exhibition worth seeing! Ace Gallery also sells an accompanying book about the show and Miyake's work, as well as another book of photos of his work by Irving Penn.