Issey Miyake, the legendary Japanese fashion designer known for his groundbreaking and comfortable clothing, has sadly passed away at 84 years old. On August 9, it was announced that Miyake had lost his battle with cancer on August 5. In accordance with his wishes, his funeral was a private affair attended only by close relatives.
Miyake was part of a wave of young Japanese designers who made a profound impact on the fashion scene in Paris during the mid-1970s. He established the Miyake Design Studio in Tokyo in 1970 and soon after opened his first boutique in Paris. His design philosophy centered around creating clothing that exuded beauty and joy, drawing inspiration from his personal experiences of witnessing the devastation of Hiroshima during World War II.
Together with fellow designers Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto, Miyake spearheaded a new movement of Japanese designers making waves in the French capital. They followed in the footsteps of fashion icons like Kenzo Takada and Hanae Mori. Miyake’s innovative creations included the Pleats Please line, featuring permanently pleated garments that never wrinkled. His Bao Bao bags, with their futuristic geometric triangle designs, quickly became highly coveted and served as inspiration for many imitations. Additionally, Miyake famously crafted over 100 black turtlenecks for his close friend Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple.
One of Miyake’s most remarkable achievements was his A-POC (A Piece Of Cloth) concept, where he utilized computer programming to seamlessly create garments cut from a single piece of fabric. This approach was influenced by the ancient practice of crafting clothing from a single piece of cloth or animal skin, a tradition found in various cultures worldwide. In 2006, Miyake’s creativity and talent were deservedly recognized when he received the prestigious Kyoto Prize.
Born in Hiroshima in 1938, Miyake was only seven years old when the atomic bomb was dropped on the city in August 1945. Despite surviving the devastating blast, which ultimately led to Japan’s surrender after the bombing of Nagasaki, Miyake rarely spoke about his traumatic experiences. In a 2009 article for The New York Times advocating for nuclear disarmament, he briefly shared his memories of the bombing and the subsequent loss of his mother due to radiation exposure.
Miyake’s journey as a designer began after graduating from Tama Art University in Tokyo. He relocated to Paris in 1965 and enrolled at the prestigious Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne. His time in Paris coincided with the student-led protests of May 1968, which deeply impacted his perspective. He realized that the fashion world was shifting away from the exclusive realm of haute couture towards more inclusive and universal elements like jeans and T-shirts.
Establishing the Miyake Design Studio and opening his boutique in Paris allowed Miyake to further explore his creativity. He consistently pushed boundaries by experimenting with unconventional materials, such as plastic, metal wire, and even traditional Japanese paper. Miyake valued the power of collaboration and preferred to work behind the scenes with textile scientists and engineers in his research and development lab. He believed that allowing others to contribute to the creative process would result in unique perspectives and innovative breakthroughs.
Although he reduced his involvement in designing Paris collections in the early 2000s, Miyake continued to oversee the brand. He nurtured a new generation of talented young designers, providing them with opportunities to showcase their work. Throughout his career, Miyake’s dedication to technological advancements remained evident, as he paid meticulous attention to fabric selection and stitching details, which were showcased in every catwalk show.
Miyake’s contributions to the world of fashion have been particularly celebrated in France. In 2016, former French culture minister Jack Lang traveled to Tokyo to honor Miyake with the Legion of Honour at a retrospective of his work. Lang, who still wears Miyake pieces he acquired years ago, described the designer as someone with profound humanity and openness to new ideas. Lang commended Miyake’s innovative use of materials and textures that had never been seen before.
Issey Miyake’s legacy as a fashion innovator and visionary will undoubtedly continue to inspire future generations of designers. His unwavering commitment to creating beautiful, comfortable, and technologically advanced clothing has left an indelible mark on the industry. As the fashion world mourns his loss, Miyake’s timeless creations and the countless lives he influenced with his talent and vision will ensure that his legacy lives on.
Useful links:
1. Official Issey Miyake website
2. New York Times article on Issey Miyake’s passing
