Japanese fashion designer Issey Miyake has died aged 84. His company announced the news of his demise in the early hours of August 9.
Miyake was a fashion revolutionary recognized for his innovative styles and perfume. He was most famous for merging traditional Japanese influences with contemporary styles.
Miyake is reported to have died from liver cancer on Friday. His final rites were performed in a private event among family and friends, Japanese media report.
About the Man behind the Brand
Miyake was born in Hiroshima in 1938. He was just seven years old when the city was devastated by an atomic bomb dropped by the United States during World War II. His mother died of radiation exposure three years later.
He studied graphic design at a Tokyo art university and then moved to Paris in the 1960s, where he worked with lauded fashion designers Guy Laroche and Hubert de Givenchy.
“All of my work stems from the simplest of ideas that go back to the earliest civilizations: making clothing from one piece of cloth. It is my touchstone. I believe that all forms of creativity are related.”
– Issey Miyake
He had a brief stint in New York, before heading back to Tokyo in 1970 to open the Miyake Design Studio.
By the 1980s he was celebrated as one of the world’s most pioneering designers as he worked with materials from plastic to metal – and also traditional Japanese material and paper.
Miyake was among few Japanese names recorded in pop culture all over the world.
He was best known for collaborating with the eclectic Grace Jones in the 80s and 90s, Steve Jobs for his iconic turtleneck and David Bowie’s eccentric outfits.
Rest in peace Issey Miyake. You were an absolute legend whose threads and creations will continue to inspire generations.
