Issey Miyake, born in 1938 in Hiroshima, was a Japanese fashion designer and founder of the fashion label Issey Miyake.
Issey Miyake studied graphic design at the University of the Arts Tama in Tokyo, however at that time he was already interested in garment design. After completing his studies, he went to Paris, learned the Haute Couture trade and worked from 1965 on as a designer for the fashion designer Guy Laroche and Hubert de Givenchy. In 1969, he moved to New York and worked for Geoffrey Beene.
He founded his own design studio in 1970. The first men collection by his company Issey Miyake Inc. was presented in 1978. Miyake's hallmark are simply cut models of crease-resistant, elastic and light polyester plisse with sculptural appeal, made famous by the series named "Pleats Please". Next to complexe ideas that he presented on the cat walk, he was also famous for the black turtelneckpullover he designed for the Apple founder, Steve Jobs.
The fashion bearing the designer's label is still innovative and reflects unconventional and free thinking. Next to women's and men's clothing, the brand has also been offering accessories, wristwatches and perfumes since the 1970s. For the Italian lighting label Artemide, Issey Miyake designed IN-EI, a collection of origami-like folded light fixtures.
The famous Japanese fashion designer died on the 5th of August 2022 in Tokyo.