An examination of the history of fashion would not be complete without the mention of Japanese designer Issey Miyake.

Miyake, who died on August 5 of liver cancer at age 84, was a fashion icon who laid the foundation in Paris for Japanese avant-garde designers worldwide.

Western female clothes have historically been fitted to expose the contours of the body, but Miyake introduced large, loose-fitting garments, such as jackets with no traditional construction and a minimum of detail or buttons.

Miyake was born in Hiroshima, in the southern part of Japan, in 1938. As the fashion industry mourns his lost they also reminisce on his legacy that lives on through his incredible designs.

Throughout his 52 year career, the designer always referred to his designs as clothing.

“I am most interested in people and the human form,” Miyake told the New York Times in 2012.

“Clothing is the closest thing to all humans.”

He was also very innovative, featuring designs that overlapped between art and fashion. Many of his designs are in museums, including the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection.

Miyake’s iconic designs

Miyake was known for designing 100 turtleneck sweaters that became the signature look for former Apple CEO Steve Jobs.

The iconic turtleneck uniform was  based on the idea that busy people’s minds are on more important things than picking out ties.

He became famous for his bold pleated designs with Minagawa and the Japanese textile mills. He introduced his most commercially successful collection, Pleats Please, in 1993. 

His collection debuted a new way to create pleats that were long long-lasting and wrinkle free. Traditionally, pleats are permanently pressed then cut but Miyake reversed the method resulting in the formation of permanent pleats.

The design included capes and trousers, and flowing sleeveless tabards made from heat-treated polyester to create permanent pleats, the clothes never creased, could be machine washed and be rolled instead of folded. 

Miyake also sought to create timeless pieces that allowed persons to feel free. He believed that clothing should not restrict a persons movement but instead allow them to feel comfortable.

Though a prominent person in the fashion industry, Miyake was also know for his fragrances that dominated the market. These include L’eau D’Issey, L’eau D’Issey Florale and L’eau D’Issey Sport.

READ: Issey Miyake, Japan’s prince of pleats, dies of cancer aged 84 – media