Japanese fashion designer – Issey Miyake dies at the age of 84

Issey Miyake

Miyake was born in the Japanese city of Hiroshima in 1938. In 1945, the bomb dropped on the city left him with a pronounced limp throughout his childhood. Three years later, his mother died from radiation exposure.

Educational background

In 1965, before moving to Paris, Miyake studied graphic design at Tokyo&rsquo's Tama Art University. While in Paris, Miyake worked for Guy Laroche and Hubert de Givenchy, the biggest names in haute couture. In Tokyo, he founded his studio. Using Japanese embroidery techniques and tattoo design, he designed skillfully.

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Career

He began developing a new fabric in 1980 that could expand vertically with hundreds of tiny folds. Miyake was one step forwards as he blended traditional and newly developed techniques to create plated garments. He took a step back from day-to-day design collection under his namesake label. The current head designer of the brand is Satoshi Kondo.

In 1992, the first L'Eau d'Issey was launched, becoming an international bestseller. He was also known for his line of fragrances. He never stopped innovating; in 2007, he launched his reality lab to explore durable and environmentally sustainable materials.

Achievements made by Miyake

Miyake received multiple awards for his works as a fashion designer and artist. Japan Arts Association awarded him a Premium Imperial award for his outstanding achievement in the arts. Miyake was the first fashion designer to receive the Kyoto Prize in Arts and Philosophy for lifetime achievement a year later.

As a young man, he was faithful to the craft of the couturier. In 2016, he received the prestigious Legion of Honor award by the French government, and the National Center in Tokyo staged the most comprehensive exhibition o Miyake&rsquo's career.

Miyake said, 'Technology in the world is valuable with diminishing resources in terms of lowering waste and facilitating mass production' 'Never lose sight of the power of the touch of human hands.

He is no more

Miyake's designs are preserved at institutions including London's Victoria and Albert Museum, New York's Museum of Modern Art, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. On 5th August, he died of cancer at the age of 84. His family and friends held a funeral service, and the memorial ceremony was not held in the line designer's wish.