Issey Miyake, who founded one of Japan’s most recognizable design houses and was famous for his radically sculpted pleated pieces as well as former Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ black turtlenecks, has died. He was 84.
Miyake died of liver cancer on August 5, according to the Miyake Design Office.
Miyake defined a period in contemporary Japanese history, rising to prominence in the 1970s as part of a group of designers and artists that achieved worldwide acclaim by creating a Japanese vision distinct from the West.
Miyake’s origami-like folds turned drab polyester into stylish. He also employed computer technologies to weave clothing. His simple clothes was intended to honor the human body, regardless of color, shape, size, or age.
Miyake despised the term “fashion designer,” preferring not to associate with what he considered as frivolous, trend-watching, showy spending.
Miyake repeatedly returned to his core notion of beginning with a single piece of fabric, whether draped, folded, chopped, or wrapped.
He was inspired by a range of cultures and sociological themes, as well as ordinary things such as plastic, rattan, “washi” paper, jute, horsehair, foil, yarn, batik, indigo colors, and wire throughout the years.
He drew inspiration from Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin, and he worked with Japanese painter Tadanori Yokoo on pictures of monkeys and flora in brilliant, psychedelic colours.
He also worked with Shiro Kuramata, a furniture and interior designer, photographer Irving Penn, choreographer and director Maurice Bejart, pottery artist Lucie Rie, and Ballet Frankfurt.
Miyake was commissioned to create the official Olympic costume for Lithuania, which had just earned independence from the Soviet Union, in 1992.
Miyake, who was born in Hiroshima in 1938, became a fashion icon as soon as he stepped onto the European runways. His brown top, which blended the Japanese stitched fabric “sashiko” with raw silk knit, was featured on the cover of Elle magazine’s September 1973 edition.
Miyake was also a gender role pioneer, requesting feminist Fusae Ichikawa to be his model in the 1970s, when she was in her 80s, giving the message that clothes must be comfortable and show the genuine beauty of real people.
Although he designed garments that seemed to aspire for the spiritual, he never became arrogant, always approving of the T-shirt-and-jeans appearance.
Miyake once remarked in his book, “Designing is like a living creature in that it seeks what counts for its well-being and continuation.”
His office announced that a private burial had already taken place and that no extra rituals will take place in line with Miyake’s wishes. Miyake kept his family life discreet, and no survivors have been identified.