From Steve Jobs' iconic turtleneck to bold micro pleats, a look back at the legacy of fashion's Issey Miyake

Yoonji HanAug 9, 2022, 23:12 IST

Japanese fashion designer rose to fame for his innovative designs and creative use of different fabrics.Arnal/Garcia/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Issey Miyake was renowned for his innovative approach to traditional Japanese fabrics and designs.
Miyake is the mastermind behind micro pleating, Bao Bao bags, and Steve Jobs' iconic turtleneck.

Issey Miyake was one of the first Japanese designers to show in Paris, and opened the door for Japanese fashion to a global audience.

Issey Miyake, French lingerie designer Chantal Thomass, and Japanese designer Kenzo at a breakfast by the Ministry of Culture in Paris, March 21, 1984.Micheline Pelletier/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Miyake was obsessed with the use of different types of fabrics and materials in his clothing, including Japanese washi paper and rattan.

Issey Miyake's designs during Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Fall-Winter 2020/2021 in Paris.Thierry Chesnot/Getty Images

Miyake also used traditional Japanese fabrics and designs, drawing inspiration from his home country.

Pieces of Miyake's collection are displayed at the National Art Center in Tokyo, Japan.Shizuo Kambayashi/AP Images

He paid homage to Japanese craft and design through his works, including origami.

Issey Miyake's 132 5 collection is displayed in Tokyo. The collection was inspired by origami; each item of clothing was cut from a single piece of fabric.Ken Ishii/Getty Images

Miyake's most iconic designs are his micro pleats and his Bao Bao bags.

Women wear Miyake's pleated dresses and hold Bao Bao bags during Paris Fashion Week 2017.Edward Berthelot/Getty Images

With micro pleating, garments are sandwiched between layers of paper and fed into a heat press to be pleated.

Miyake unveiled his Pleats Please collection at his 1994 Paris summer collection.Lionel Cironneau/AP

Miyake often used dancers to model his pleated clothing.

Models danced on the runway at the Issey Miyake Womenswear Spring/Summer 2020 show in Paris.Thierry Chesnot/Getty Images

Miyake embraced asymmetry as a way to create a sense of movement in his clothing.

Models wear creations for Issey Miyake's Fall-Winter 2017-2018 ready-to-wear fashion collection in Paris.Zacharie Scheurer/AP

The Bao Bao bag's triangular pieces change flat surfaces into three-dimensional ones, creating new forms.

Miyake's Bao Bao bag during Paris Fashion Week.Edward Berthelot/Getty Images

Steve Jobs' signature black mock neck is a Miyake creation. In his biography, Jobs writes that he asked Miyake to make him some of the mock necks, "and he made me like a hundred of them."

Steve Jobs at a keynote speech in 2008.David Paul Morris/Getty Images

Steve Jobs' signature black mock neck is a Miyake creation. In his biography, Jobs writes that he asked Miyake to make him some of the mock necks, "and he made me like a hundred of them."

In 2010, Miyake received Japan's Order of Culture, the country's highest honor for the arts.

Issey Miyake and his models at the Fall/Winter 1993/1994 show, Paris.Daniel Simon/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

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From Steve Jobs' iconic turtleneck to bold micro pleats, a look back at the legacy of fashion's Issey Miyake

Issey Miyake was one of the first Japanese designers to show in Paris, and opened the door for Japanese fashion to a global audience.

Miyake was obsessed with the use of different types of fabrics and materials in his clothing, including Japanese washi paper and rattan.

Miyake also used traditional Japanese fabrics and designs, drawing inspiration from his home country.

He paid homage to Japanese craft and design through his works, including origami.

Miyake's most iconic designs are his micro pleats and his Bao Bao bags.

With micro pleating, garments are sandwiched between layers of paper and fed into a heat press to be pleated.

Miyake often used dancers to model his pleated clothing.

Miyake embraced asymmetry as a way to create a sense of movement in his clothing.

The Bao Bao bag's triangular pieces change flat surfaces into three-dimensional ones, creating new forms.

Steve Jobs' signature black mock neck is a Miyake creation. In his biography, Jobs writes that he asked Miyake to make him some of the mock necks, "and he made me like a hundred of them."

In 2010, Miyake received Japan's Order of Culture, the country's highest honor for the arts.