Remembering Issey Miyake: A True Fashion Icon
by Marga Cheng on Aug 11, 2022
Image Courtesy of Denis Dailleux[/caption]
Fashion designer, known as Japan’s Pleat Prince, Issey Miyake has passed away from liver cancer in a hospital in Tokyo at the age of 84.
Under the helms of established fashion designers, Guy Laroche and Hubert de Givenchy, Miyake pushed his degree in Graphic Design beyond borders. He soon became interested in finding an intersection between art, design and fashion and established the Miyake Design Studio in 1970. With such a revolutionary mindset, Miyake became the first Japanese designer to make it to Paris Fashion week in the 1970’s.
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Image Courtesy of Philippe Brazil[/caption]
Further integrating function into his designs, the designer released his one of most famous sets of clothes, the Pleats Please Line, in 1993. The iconic line featured a series of capes, sleeveless tabards and more. One thing all the pieces had in common were the heat-treated polyester featuring permanent pleats. Until today, this line remains in fashion, just as Miyake desired. Mentioned in his interview with Village Voice in the year the line was released, Miyake stated that he wanted his “customer to be able to wear a sweater I designed 10 years ago with this year’s pants.”
Since then, the designer also managed to launch several other fashion lines. From mens and womens bags, clothing lines for each gender, watches and even fragrances, Miyake managed to make lasting impressions on the fashion industry even after his retirement in 1997.
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Image Cortesy of Getty Images[/caption]
His designs are also part of a permanent collection in the Museum of Modern Art. He was also awarded the Order of Culture in 2010 and became decorated as a Commandeur de l’Ordre National de la Légion d’honneur.
Until this day, Miyake’s revolutionary mindset continues to live on.
> COLLECT ISSEY MIYAKE > COLLECT PLEATS PLEASE
