Issey Miyake: Japanese fashion star

Issey Miyake, the innovator behind the timeless perfume, L’Eau d’Issey, his first iconic perfume. And of course, timeless, wrinkle-free fashion. Close friend of Steve Jobs and the creator behind the signature black turtlenecks that Steve always wore. One of the biggest fashion stars in the 80s, with his international sensations, “Pleats Please” and “A-POC (A piece of Cloth).”

Miyake launched Pleats Please line in 1993, where he used a patented process called “garment pleating” that involves pleating clothes rather than textiles.

A-POC ABLE ISSEY MIYAKE is a brand that sets out to weave the future by instigating dialogues on clothing between creators and wearers. A-POC announced in 1998, has revolutionised the process of clothes-making, where it introduced a new form of design in which the wearers partake.

Born in Hiroshima, and still living there seven years later, when the U.S. military dropped an atomic bomb in August 1945. As a child, Issey wanted to become a dancer, but his interest in fashion started by studying his sister’s fashion magazines. He worked for Hubert de Givenchy, drawing 50 to 100 sketches daily. In 1969, he moved to New York City, where he met artists like Christo and Robert Rauschenberg. Returning to Tokyo in 1970, he founded the Miyake Design Studio.

In the late 80s, he began to experiment with new methods of pleating that would allow both flexibility of movement for the wearer as well as ease of care and production. The garments are cut and sewn first, then sandwiched between layers of paper and fed into a heat press, where they are pleated.

He developed friendship with Steve Jobs, who came to him after seeing the uniforms Miyake designed for employees of Sony’s factories. At Steve’s request, Issey designed similar vests for Apple’s employees. Miyake also designed Steve’s signature black turtlenecks.

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