Issey Miyake

Japanese fashion designer Issey Miyake is known for his innovative and highly creative designs. His work is notable for the use of pleats.

Miyake studied and obtained a degree in graphic design at Tama Arts university, in Tokyo. After he graduated (in 1965), he travelled to Paris and enrolled with the Ecole de la Chambre syndicale de la Parisienne.

He first worked with Guy Laroche and then for Givenchy before moving to New York, where he was employed by Geoffrey Beene.

Miyake returned to Tokyo in 1970 where he set up his design studio, which became a high end producer of women's fashion. In the 80's he began to experiment with new methods of pleating. His aim was to develop the flexibility of movement for the wearer and to ease the care and production of the garment.

Issey Miyake's experimentation resulted in a new technique called 'garment pleating', this lead to the creation of his 'pleats please' line, in 1993.

Issey Miyake's other lines include his self titled men and women's collection, 'Issey Miyake Fete'(a colourful women's collection which draws t the innovation of pleats), 'Haat', 'A-Poc' (a custom made collection for men & women) and 'Me Issey Miyake' (a line of exclusive one sized shirts, that stretch to meet the wearer). 

In addition to his clothing lines is 'Issey Miyake parfums'.

In the late 1990's Issey Miyake retired naming the company's design director Naoki Takizawa as the head designer. 

In 2007 Dai Fujiwara took over both roles and to this day has continued to uphold the Issey Miyake aesthetic and long term research into both fabric and garment design.