Issey Miyake Has Died Aged 84

Legendary Japanese designer Issey Miyake has passed away aged 84.

According to a statement from the Issey Miyake Group, the creative died of liver cancer in hospital, on August 5, 2022.

Miyake – who studied graphic design at Tokyo’s Tama Art University – found his feet in the world of fashion working behind the scenes for the likes of Guy Laroche, Hubert de Givenchy, and Geoffrey Beene, before founding his eponymous label in 1970.

After presenting his debut collection the following year, Miyake opened his first studio in Tokyo in 1973, before showcasing at a Paris group fashion show soon after.

Together with fellow Japanese designers Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto, Miyake found himself in the spotlight throughout the 1980s, garnering himself a reputation for his forward-thinking and innovative design philosophy – most notably the wrapped look which later became his signature.

Like many designers, Miyake boasted an impressive line of fragrances, too. His first release, back in 1992, was the L’eau d’Issey, a women’s perfume, before a men’s iteration in L’eau d’Issey Pour Homme followed two years later.

Alongside Issey Miyake and Issey Miyake Perfumes, the designer oversaw the direction of countless other sub-labels, which included HOMME PLISSÉ ISSEY MIYAKE and Issey Miyake Fête, as well as the Miyake Issey Foundation.

It’s also reported that as per the designer’s request, there will be no funeral or memorial service.