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There are few designers whose names have become so synonymous with fashion innovation as Issey Miyake, the Japanese artist who built his reputation on sharp pleating, avant garde cuts, and signature fragrances. Miyake, who had liver cancer, died Aug. 5 in Tokyo at the age of 84. His death was announced on Aug. 9 by the Miyake Design Studio, the trailblazing creative hub he founded in 1970.
During his lifetime, Miyake’s work in fashion earned acclaim for its technological precision and artistic value. His signature origami-like pleating technique was as much a feat of engineering as it was a sartorial statement. And his design ethos was refreshingly democratic; he believed in creating items that were beautifully made, but also comfortable, affordable, and practical enough for everyday use by everyday people—garments that transcended gender, size, race, and age.
In this, Miyake’s approach to design was innately humane, a quality that was no doubt influenced by his life experiences. As a child growing up in Hiroshima, he survived the atomic bomb dropped by the U.S. in 1945, losing his mother three years later to radiation poisoning. Although he was markedly private about the event and his personal life throughout his career, Miyake shared that the attack on Hiroshima affected him profoundly, writing a powerful 2009 op-ed for the New York Times speaking out against the use of nuclear weapons.
Miyake, who famously said that “design is not for philosophy—it’s for life” was dedicated to work that was functional, accessible, and joyful. Here, a look back at four of Miyake’s most popular and innovative creations.
Pleats Please
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Source : time
