Issey Miyake was never just a fashion designer

Issey Miyake was never just a fashion designer. He was an inventor of new forms — a philosopher of clothing. While Western designers often sculpted the body, Miyake liberated it. He believed in clothing that moved with you, not against you. His iconic Pleats Please line, launched in the 1990s, transformed fabric into a living entity — lightweight, practical, artful, and timeless. Miyake fused Japanese tradition with futuristic innovation: origami folds, technical fabrics, clean silhouettes. 

He collaborated with engineers, dancers, and artists. He didn’t chase trends — he created systems of dressing that were intelligent, inclusive, and deeply human. 

Did you know? 

He survived the Hiroshima bombing as a child. He worked with Givenchy and Guy Laroche in Paris before launching his own label in Tokyo. Steve Jobs’ iconic black turtlenecks were custom-made by Miyake. His designs are exhibited in museums as examples of wearable art. Miyake’s legacy is not just in fashion, but in thought.

 A gentle genius who believed design could make life better — not louder.