As the world continues to mourn the passing of fashion luminary Issey Miyake, one thing is certain: he leaves behind an immeasurable design legacy. Throughout the scope of his prolific career, he revolutionized fabrication, introduced Japanese avant-garde style to the West, championed diversity on and off the runway, embraced color theory alongside minimalism, and pushed the bounds of “art as fashion.”
Few designers are responsible for disrupting the industry and rewriting the design canon in such an impactful way as Miyake. With a background in graphic design and having trained in Paris under top couturiers Guy Laroche and Hubert de Givenchy, as well as Geoffrey Beene, Miyake’s unique education informed much of his work.
It’s no wonder his design language captivated everyone, from the Olsen twins and Solange Knowles to Kim Kardashian and Rihanna. The late design maverick created with intention and always with a distinct point of view, which made his clothing so enticing. To own an Issey Miyake piece is to own a piece of moving sculpture.
So many timeless design codes cement Miyake and his work into the culture. There’s the signature Issey Mikaye bag, the Bao Bao, that’s a cult favorite of the art crowd and street style set, as seen on the likes of OG blogger Susie Lau. And who could forget Steve Job’s infamous sleek black turtleneck, which was exclusively designed by Miyake? Yet another timeless Miyake signature is the striking, minimal product design of his namesake perfume bottles. Miyake was always on the pulse, always in touch with the zeitgeist even when he was years ahead of it.
From the signature pleated fabrication house code to his lifelong friendship and working-muse relationship with fashion icon Grace Jones, let’s look back at some vital design elements and moments of the architectural designer ahead.
