Japanese fashion designer, Issey Miyake, died at the age of 84, as confirmed in a statement made on Tuesday.
Issey Miyake died: What was the cause of death?
According to a report by BBC, his Tokyo office released a statement confirming Miyake’s death. Issey died in hospital on Friday, 5 August 2022, after a battle with liver cancer. A private funeral had already taken place, with “only relatives participating” in line with his wishes.
Miyake’s married life remains private. His wife’s identity is unknown, but it is a mystery whether or not he was married in the first place. Miyake’s family and children have not been mentioned either.
Issey Miyake biography
Issey Miyake was born on 22 April 1938 in Hiroshima, Japan. Issey was seven-years-old when an atomic bomb fell on the city. In 2009, writing in the New York Times, Miyake said he did not want to become known as “the designer who survived the atomic bomb.”
Miyake studied graphic design at Tokyo’s Tama Art University before moving to Paris in 1965 to study tailoring and dressmaking at the renowned École de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne.
He began his career in 1966, working for four years behind the scenes in the ateliers of three fashion legends: French couturiers Guy Laroche and Hubert de Givenchy, as well as American designer Geoffrey Beene.
Three years after establishing a studio in Tokyo, Miyake debuted his independent collection in a Paris group fashion show in 1973
Miyake became an internationally recognized name in the 1980s together with Japanese designers Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto, who presented their avant-garde creations alongside his fresh, boldly coloured work during the Paris ready-to-wear collections.
The Japan Arts Association awarded Miyake the Praemium Imperiale for outstanding achievement in 2005. In 2006, Japan’s Inamori Foundation awarded him the Kyoto Prize in Arts and Philosophy for lifetime achievement. Issey made history by becoming the first fashion designer to receive this prestigious award.
Issey Miyake was well-known for his perfume and cologne collections, in addition to his clothing. He introduced L’Eau d’Issey in the early 1990’s.The collection soon became a global best-seller. The water-inspired light scent was hugely influential, helping to popularise oceanic perfumes. Miyake released a men’s version two years later, and other fragrances followed.
Miyake designed friend and founder of Apple Steve Jobs’ famous turtleneck.
Reactions to Miyake’s passing
News of the designer’s death has no doubt shocked the world, especially the fashion world. Fans, colleagues, and other designers took to social media to pay tribute to the late Issey Miyake.