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Issey Miyake

From The Fashion Codex


Issey Miyake
Born 22 April 1938

Hiroshima, Japan

Died 5 August 2022 (aged 84)

Tokyo, Japan

Alma mater Tama Art University
Years Active 1970-1997
Occupation Fashion designer
Website https://www.isseymiyake.com/


Issey Miyake was a Japanese fashion designer (born Miyake Kazumaru, 22 April 1938, Hiroshima, Japan), he's the founder of his eponymous fashion label, Issey Miyake.

Early Life

Miyake was born in Hiroshima and was seven years old when the atomic bomb dropped on the city whilst he was in his classroom.[1] His mother passed away due to radiation exposure within the next three years.[2] This would be his very first wave of inspiration and desire to create. Seeing two bridges in the epicenter of the attack, now named Create and Go, these bridges would allow Miyake to know that design can invoke emotion: hope, freedom, and creation in destruction.[3]

Miyake was said to be interested in becoming a dancer or an athlete before getting his hands on his sisters fashion magazines, which inspired him to change his dream.[4]

He studied graphic design at Tama Art University where he graduated in 1965, before he moved to Paris and learnt how to design and make clothes, three months before his friend, Kenzo Takada.[5][6]

The pair studied together at l'Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la couture.[7]

Career

The beginning and the 1970s

Miyake began his fashion career in 1966, he apprenticed for French couturier Guy Laroche, and two years later he apprenticed for Givenchy. Miyake had experienced several riots in his time in Paris, which pushed him away from making drapes for elegant ladies, but rather wanting to create more universally worn pieces.[8]

He later moved to New York, but his time there was only a short snippet in his career, as whilst working for a ready-to-wear brand in New York he started to become more interesting in the evolution and development that was happening back in Japan.[9]

He eventually returned home to Tokyo in 1970 where he founded the Miyake Design Studio.[5][10][11]

He displayed his own independent collection in 1973, in a Paris group fashion show where he developed the layered, and wrapped look that became his trademark.[12]

Soon after, the New York department store Bloomingdale’s devoted a section to selling Miyake’s “East meets West” look which mainly consisted of T-shirts dyed with Japanese tattoo designs as well as coats featuring the sashiko technique, a Japanese embroidery that strengthens fabric and was typically incorporated into labourers’ clothing.[13]

1980s

Miyake became an internationally recognised name in the 1980s together with fellow Japanese designers Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto, who presented their avant-garde creations alongside his fresh, boldly coloured work during the Paris ready-to-wear collections.[14] His creations often drew comparisons to origami, and pleats became such an integral feature that some called him the “King of Pleats”.[15]

Miyake challenged the convention of western clothing for women at the time. The western trend usually being tight, exposed and hugging of a women’s figure, Miyake instead focuses on simplicity, minimalism, and flowing forms. It was a conscious decision to make it almost go the opposite direction to the westernised ideologies, and Miyake even mentions that this approach was one of his greatest advantages.[16]

"I realised that my very disadvantage, lack of western heritage, would also be my advantage. I was free of Western tradition or convention … The lack of western tradition was the very thing I needed to create contemporary and universal fashion." he said.[17][18]

The American art magazine Artforum featured a Rattan- vine Body created by Miyake on its February 1982 cover—the first time clothing had been featured on the cover of an art magazine.[19]

In the 1980s, he experimented with new methods of pleating that would allow flexibility of movement and ease of care for the wearer. He did the costumes for Ballet Frankfurt with polyester jersey permanently pleated into place. After studying how the they moved, he sent 200-300 garments to the dancers of ‘The Loss of Small Detail’, so that they could wear a different costume in each performance.[20] This eventually lead to the development of 'Pleats Please'.[21]

1990s

L’Eau d’Issey was launched in 1992 and became an international best seller, with the scent being inspired by water. Two years later, the men's version debuted, and other fragrances followed.[22]

Miyake developed Pleats Please in 1993, which “allows unrestricted body movement while enabling the fabric to maintain its form,” and A-POC (“A Piece of Cloth”), which was made from a single thread with the aid of an industrial knitting or weaving machine programmed by a computer. Miyake had begun experimenting on A-POC more than 10 years earlier with textile expert Dai Fujiwara before launching it commercially in 1999. Insisting that A-POC was an ensemble piece, he refused to imprint his name on that collection. He sold it simply as a long tube of jersey, and it was then up to the customer to cut and shape it.[23]

2000s

In 2005 the Japan Arts Association awarded Miyake a Praemium Imperiale for outstanding achievement in the arts. In 2006 he became the first fashion designer to receive the Kyoto Prize in Arts and Philosophy for lifetime achievement, awarded by the Inamori Foundation in Japan; the prize included a diploma, a 20-karat-gold prize medal, and 50 million yen (about $446,000).[24]

Steve Jobs asked Miyake for black turtlenecks for his wardrobe, and Miyake provided him with 100 black turtlenecks. “I have enough to last for the rest of my life.” Stated Jobs.[25]

Style

Techniques

Miyake’s main concept was about the way clothing and fabrics move and flow with the body. He broke the convention of the usual East meets West approach and focused heavily on how the fabric had a relationship with our bodies, and how he could further relish and embody the two together to create something truly unique and beautiful.[26] Miyake's way of creating pleats was quite different to the previous standard methods.They would assemble a garment two-and-a-half to three times its proper size, then would fold, iron, and oversee the material so that the straight lines remained in place. The garment would then be placed in a press between two sheets of paper, from which it emerged with permanent pleats. The result was a garment that almost resembles origami in its nature. Effortlessly maintaining shape regardless of how it flowed with the body.[27]

Themes

The Themes sub-section should include a specific and analytical summary of a person's recurring themes, as demonstrated and well-cited from their body of work.

Collections

The Collections section should include a wikitable in the style below. If a person has not contributed to collections, editors may forgo the inclusion of a Collections section. If a person has designed or worked for more than one brand, additional wikitables should be created and arranged vertically from earliest to latest. Columns for Notes may include notable information such as the collection number.

Brand Name
Title Season Date Location Looks Notes
Example Example Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example Example Example

References

The References section should include well-formatted and consistent citations in either APA or Chicago style, including author-date referencing (i.e. APA style) for in-text citations.

External Links

The External Links section should include external resources, such as photographs of collections and other types of digital documentation.

  1. ↑ https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japanese-fashion-designer-issey-miyake-dies-cancer-aged-84-media-2022-08-09/#:~:text=Miyake%20was%20born%20in%20Hiroshima%20and%20was%20seven%20years%20old%20when%20the%20atomic%20bomb%20was%20dropped%20on%20the%20city%20while%20he%20was%20in%20a%20classroom
  2. ↑ https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japanese-fashion-designer-issey-miyake-dies-cancer-aged-84-media-2022-08-09/#:~:text=%22When%20I%20close%20my%20eyes%2C%20I%20still%20see%20things%20no%20one%20should%20ever%20experience%2C%22%20he%20wrote%2C%20adding%20that%20within%20three%20years%2C%20his%20mother%20died%20of%20radiation%20exposure.
  3. ↑ https://sabukaru.online/articles/issey-miyake-a-lifelong-journey-of-mastery#:~:text=This%20would%20be%20his%20very%20first%20wave%20of%20inspiration%20and%20desire%20to%20create.%20Seeing%20two%20bridges%20in%20the%20epicenter%20of%20the%20attack%2C%20now%20named%20Create%20and%20Go%2C%20these%20bridges%20would%20allow%20Miyake%20to%20know%20that%20design%20can%20invoke%20emotion%3A%20hope%2C%20freedom%2C%20and%20creation%20in%20destruction.
  4. ↑ https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japanese-fashion-designer-issey-miyake-dies-cancer-aged-84-media-2022-08-09/#:~:text=Known%20for%20his%20practicality%2C%20Miyake%20is%20said%20to%20have%20wanted%20to%20become%20either%20a%20dancer%20or%20an%20athlete%20before%20reading%20his%20sister%27s%20fashion%20magazines%20inspired%20him%20to%20change%20direction%20%2D%20with%20those%20original%20interests%20believed%20to%20be%20behind%20the%20freedom%20of%20movement%20his%20clothing%20permits.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japanese-fashion-designer-issey-miyake-dies-cancer-aged-84-media-2022-08-09/#:~:text=After%20studying%20graphic%20design%20at%20a%20Tokyo%20art%20university%2C%20he%20learnt%20clothing%20design%20in%20Paris%2C%20where%20he%20worked%20with%20famed%20fashion%20designers%20Guy%20Laroche%20and%20Hubert%20de%20Givenchy%2C%20before%20heading%20to%20New%20York.%20In%201970%20he%20returned%20to%20Tokyo%20and%20founded%20the%20Miyake%20Design%20Studio.
  6. ↑ https://sabukaru.online/articles/issey-miyake-a-lifelong-journey-of-mastery#:~:text=Originally%20studying%20graphic%20design%20at%20the%20Tama%20Art%20University%20in%20Tokyo%2C%20he%20would%20graduate%20in%201965%20before%20moving%20to%20Paris%2C%20just%20three%20months%20before%20Kenzo%20Takada%20%5Bthe%20first%20Japanese%20designer%20to%20be%20successful%20in%20Paris%5D.
  7. ↑ https://sabukaru.online/articles/issey-miyake-a-lifelong-journey-of-mastery#:~:text=Kenzo%20and%20Miyake%20actually%20knew%20each%20other%20in%20Japan%2C%20and%20both%20studied%20together%20at%20a%20tailoring%20and%20dressmaking%20school%2C%20l%27Ecole%20de%20la%20Chambre%20Syndicale%20de%20la%20couture.
  8. ↑ https://sabukaru.online/articles/issey-miyake-a-lifelong-journey-of-mastery#:~:text=Alas%2C%20Miyake%20had,the%20big%20apple.
  9. ↑ https://sabukaru.online/articles/issey-miyake-a-lifelong-journey-of-mastery#:~:text=His%20time%20in%20New%20York%20was%20only%20a%20short%20snippet%20in%20his%20career%20though%2C%20as%20whilst%20working%20for%20a%20ready%2Dto%2Dwear%20brand%20in%20New%20York%20he%20started%20to%20become%20more%20interesting%20in%20the%20evolution%20and%20development%20that%20was%20happening%20back%20in%20Japan.
  10. ↑ https://www.britannica.com/biography/Issey-Miyake#:~:text=He%20began%20his%20career%20in%201966%2C%20working%20behind%20the%20scenes%20for%20four%20years%20in%20ateliers%20operated%20by%20a%20trio%20of%2020th%2Dcentury%20fashion%20legends%E2%80%94French%20couturiers%20Guy%20Laroche%20and%20Hubert%20de%20Givenchy%20as%20well%20as%20the%20meticulous%20American%20designer%20Geoffrey%20Beene
  11. ↑ https://sabukaru.online/articles/issey-miyake-a-lifelong-journey-of-mastery#:~:text=Already%20designing%20clothing%20at%20this%20point%2C%20Miyake%20would%20go%20on%20to%20start%20his%20career%20as%20an%20apprentice%20for%20French%20couturier%20Guy%20Laroche%2C%20and%20two%20years%20later%20he%20apprenticed%20at%20Givenchy%20before%20moving%20to%20New%20York%20in%201969.
  12. ↑ https://www.britannica.com/biography/Issey-Miyake#:~:text=In%201973%2C%20three%20years%20after%20he%20established%20a%20Tokyo%20studio%2C%20Miyake%20displayed%20his%20own%20independent%20collection%20in%20a%20Paris%20group%20fashion%20show%20and%20developed%20the%20layered%20and%20wrapped%20look%20that%20became%20his%20trademark.
  13. ↑ https://www.britannica.com/biography/Issey-Miyake#:~:text=Soon%20the%20New,labourers%E2%80%99%20clothing.
  14. ↑ https://www.britannica.com/biography/Issey-Miyake#:~:text=Miyake%20became%20an%20internationally%20recognized%20name%20in%20the%201980s%20together%20with%20Japanese%20designers%20Rei%20Kawakubo%20and%20Yohji%20Yamamoto%2C%20who%20presented%20their%20avant%2Dgarde%20creations%20alongside%20his%20fresh%2C%20boldly%20coloured%20work%20during%20the%20Paris%20ready%2Dto%2Dwear%20collections.
  15. ↑ https://www.britannica.com/biography/Issey-Miyake#:~:text=His%20creations%20often%20drew%20comparisons%20to%20origami%2C%20and%20pleats%20became%20such%20an%20integral%20feature%20that%20some%20called%20him%20the%20%E2%80%9CKing%20of%20Pleats.%E2%80%9D
  16. ↑ https://sabukaru.online/articles/issey-miyake-a-lifelong-journey-of-mastery#:~:text=Miyake%20challenged%20the,his%20greatest%20advantages.
  17. ↑ https://sabukaru.online/articles/issey-miyake-a-lifelong-journey-of-mastery#:~:text=%22I%20realized%20that%20my%20very%20disadvantage%2C%20lack%20of%20western%20heritage%2C%20would%20also%20be%20my%20advantage.%20I%20was%20free%20of%20Western%20tradition%20or%20convention%20%E2%80%A6%20The%20lack%20of%20western%20tradition%20was%20the%20very%20thing%20I%20needed%20to%20create%20contemporary%20and%20universal%20fashion.%20%22
  18. ↑ https://iandrummondvintage.com/en-eu/blogs/fashion-history/japanese-designers#:~:text=%22I%20realized%20that%20my%20very%20disadvantage%2D%20lack%20of%20western%20heritage%2D%20would%20also%20be%20my%20advantage.%20I%20was%20free%20of%20Western%20tradition%20or%20convention%E2%80%A6%20The%20lack%20of%20western%20tradition%20was%20the%20very%20thing%20I%20needed%20to%20create%20contemporary%20and%20universal%20fashion.%22
  19. ↑ https://sabukaru.online/articles/issey-miyake-a-lifelong-journey-of-mastery#:~:text=The%20American%20art%20magazine%20Artforum%20featured%20a%20Rattan%2D%20vine%20Body%20created%20by%20Miyake%20on%20its%20February%201982%20cover%E2%80%94the%20first%20time%20clothing%20had%20been%20featured%20on%20the%20cover%20of%20an%20art%20magazine.%C2%A0
  20. ↑ https://iandrummondvintage.com/en-eu/blogs/fashion-history/japanese-designers#:~:text=In%20the%201980s,in%20each%20performance.
  21. ↑ https://iandrummondvintage.com/en-eu/blogs/fashion-history/japanese-designers#:~:text=This%20lead%20to%20the%20development%20of%20the%20%E2%80%98Pleats%2C%20Please%E2%80%99%20range%20in%201993%2C%20his%20most%20commercially%20successful%20collection.
  22. ↑ https://www.britannica.com/biography/Issey-Miyake#:~:text=In%20addition%20to,other%20fragrances%20followed.
  23. ↑ https://www.britannica.com/biography/Issey-Miyake#:~:text=The%20organization%20singled,and%20shape%20it.
  24. ↑ https://www.britannica.com/biography/Issey-Miyake#:~:text=In%202005%20the,yen%20(about%20%24446%2C000).
  25. ↑ https://sabukaru.online/articles/issey-miyake-a-lifelong-journey-of-mastery#:~:text=He%20asked%20Miyake%20for%20black%20turtlenecks%20for%20his%20wardrobe%2C%20and%20Miyake%20provided%20him%20with%20100%20black%20turtlenecks.%20%E2%80%9CI%20have%20enough%20to%20last%20for%20the%20rest%20of%20my%20life.%E2%80%9D%20Stated%20Jobs.
  26. ↑ https://sabukaru.online/articles/issey-miyake-a-lifelong-journey-of-mastery#:~:text=Throughout%20his%20career,unique%20and%20beautiful.
  27. ↑ https://sabukaru.online/articles/issey-miyake-a-lifelong-journey-of-mastery#:~:text=Miyake%20again%20challenges,with%20the%20body.
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