Issey Miyake

Issey Miyake was born in Hiroshima, Japan in April of 1938. He is known for his technology-driven clothing designs and exhibitions.

Miyake studied graphic design at the Tama Art University in Tokyo, graduating in 1964. After graduation, he worked in Paris and New York City. 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. This eventually resulted in a new technique called garment pleating and in 1993's "Pleats Please" in which the garments are cut and sewn first, then sandwiched between layers of paper and fed into a heat press, where they are pleated. The fabric's 'memory' holds the pleats and when the garments are liberated from their paper cocoon, they are ready-to wear.

In 1994 and 1999, Miyake turned over the design of the men's and women's collections respectively, to his associate, Naoki Takizawa, so that he could return to research.

Like many fashion designers, Issey Miyake also has a line of perfumes. His first fragrance, the light aquatic-floral L'eau d'Issey for women, was launched in 1992. The name L'eau d'Issey (engl.: Issey's water) ist a pun. In french it sounds the same as "l'odyssée" (engl. odyssey). The scent was followed by L'eau d'Issey Pour Homme (for men) in 1994. Most recently, L'eau Bleue d'Issey Pour Homme was introduced in 2004. A new as-yet-unnamed Issey Miyake men's fragrance will be introduced worldwide in September 2006. Issey Miyake fragrances are produced under a long-term agreement by the Beauté Prestige International division of Shiseido, who also produces fragrances for Narciso Rodriguez and Jean-Paul Gaultier.

Miyake has stores in Tokyo, Paris, New York, and London. His New York flagship store, Tribeca Issey Miyake was designed by Frank Gehry and is the first to carry all seven of his collections.

He was mentioned in a song by Pet Shop Boys, Flamboyant.

Mr. Issey Miyake won the Arts and Philosophy Kyoto Prize in 2006.