Rest in Peace Issey Miyake

ISSEY MIYAKE, Japanese fashion designer, died on Friday, August 5th, 2022, of liver cancer in Tokyo. He was 84. Miyake, whose name became a byword for Japan’s economic and fashion prowess in the 1980s, was best known for his innovative origami-like designs, the so-called «micro pleating», creating skirts, dresses and trousers with prisms of unfolding shapes, that have lately enjoyed a surge in popularity among a new and younger consumer base.

Kazunaru Miyake was born on April 22, 1938. He walked with a pronounced limp, the result of surviving the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, his hometown, on Aug. 6, 1945. His mother died three years later from radiation poisoning. He graduated in 1963 from Tama Art University in Tokyo, where he majored in design, followed by studies in Paris during the student protests of 1968, and a stint in New York.

ISSEY MIYAKE’s first collection was launched in New York in 1971, and began to be shown in Paris Fashion Week from F/W 1973.
From the very beginning to this day, Issey Miyake’s design has focused on the concept of «A Piece of Cloth». The Japanese designer broke the boundaries between East and West and pursued «the body, the fabric covering it and a comfortable relationship between the two» as a fundamental concept, both shocking and resonating with people the world over.

S/S 2022

ISSEY MIYAKE has grown to include a vast number of creative personnel and innovative new techniques, but its core design style – creating clothes from original materials starting with the research of a single thread – has transcended generations. The brand is led by designer Satoshi Kondo since S/S 2020, as it explores the relationship between the body and the clothes with creative ideas for modern women.

ISSEY MIYAKE’s second line Pleats Please is a collection of clothes that are a product in themselves, made with a unique «garment pleating» technique where the materials are developed from a single thread and pleats are added after sewing the clothes into shape. First launched in the ISSEY MIYAKE line in 1988, this pleats line grew until it finally became a brand of its own with the launch of the S/S 1994 collection.
These clothes combine functionality – they’re light and wrinkle-proof, they don’t need to be dry-cleaned, and they can be folded to a compact size for easy storage and carrying – with a versatility that makes them suitable for all settings in your daily life. Comfortable and beautiful too, these clothes have become deeply entrenched in the daily lives of modern women. This brand reflects Issey Miyake’s fundamental concept that «design is not for philosophy, but for life,» and continues to evolve today.

His proprietary heat treating system meant that the accordionlike pleats in his designs could be machine washed, would never lose their shape and offered the ease of loungewear. He also produced the black turtleneck that became part of the signature look of Steve Jobs, the Apple co-founder.
His Bao Bao bag, made from mesh fabric layered with small colorful triangles of polyvinyl, has long been an accessory of choice for creative industries.

His designs found their way onto the 1982 cover of Artforum — unheard-of for a fashion designer at the time — and into the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. In 2010, he received the Order of Culture, Japan’s highest honor for the arts.

«I don’t consider myself a fashion designerAnything that’s ‘in fashion’ goes out of style too quickly. I don’t make fashion. I make clothesMiyake told the magazine ParisVoice in 1998.

«I am most interested in people and the human formMr. Miyake told The Times in 2014. «Clothing is the closest thing to all humans

Rest in peace, Mr. Miyake! Your legacy will live on!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Issey Miyake
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My Year in Fashion – Highlights of 2012

MyYearinFashion2012

I would like to dedicate the first day of 2013 to a flashback of 2012. It was such an exciting year for me and I am truly thankful for all the magic moments I was able to experience and share with you. May 2013 bring us as many adventures and fashionable events as 2012 did.

Thanks for following me!

LoL, Sandra

January2012

JANUARY 2012

The year started with my visit to the fourth edition of Luisa Via Roma’s Firenze 4 Ever. As usual I had a lot fun, for example having dinner at the church, and adopted the Emilio Pucci Pug Dog for Happy Kids. It had been my third time at Firenze 4 Ever.

Then, I went to Paris for the Haute Couture shows and celebrated with Mary Katrantzou the launch of her amazing collaboration with Longchamp at Colette. Another highlight of 2012’s first month was the IWC Top Gun Gala held during the SIHH where I met lots of celebrities.

February 2012

FEBRUARY 2012

In February, I flew to the Fashion Week New York where I walked in my first runway show, Polyvore Live. I went to many fashion shows, spotted celebrities such as Olivia Palermo, Bradley Cooper and attended the Fashion 2.0 Awards plus the Bloglovin’ Awards.

After coming back from NYC, I had around 24 hours to repack and left for Paris with Dior for my photo shoot for the launch of Dior Addict Extrême.

Later this month, I accepted Gucci‘s invitation to see the F/W 2012 show, followed by a trip to Florence to visit the manufacture.

March2012

MARCH 2012

March started with Paris Fashion Week. Spotted on the streets, bloggers and editors wearing the veiled beanie designed by Stephen Jones for Jil Sander. The sun was shining already and I wore my first summery outfits like this one by Emilio Pucci.

In the end of the month, I flew to London to meet the American designer duo Kaufmanfranco at the net-à-porter offices along with jewelry designer Diane Kordas.

April2012

APRIL 2012

April marked the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. A good reason to fly again to London. As it was Easter break, I took my daughter on a girls’ trip.

In my luggage, of course, all of my Union Jack-inspired must-haves. A lot fun for every fashionista: Having Prêt-à-PorTea at the Berkeley.

May 2012

MAY 2012

Being on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival was truly one of the biggest highlights of the year. The night of the Chopard Trophée was outstanding. The most memorable part: A private performance of Lana Del Rey.

A wonderful trip to the Lausanne Palace & Spa finished off this amazing month perfectly. I indulged in the world of Roja Dove’s Haute Parfumerie and enjoyed a feast for senses at La Table d’Edgar.

June2012

JUNE 2012

June was a busy month. I started for one day in Paris for the launch of Pleats Please by Issey Miyake. Then, the Art Basel took place. My favorites: Montblanc‘s party to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their Cutting Edge Art Collection together with Parisian art gallery Perrotin and Galerie Gmurzynska’s private dinner held with Zaha Hadid for the start of the Art Basel.

Later in June, I went on my road trip through the US with stops in Chicago, Denver and Salt Lake City. I drove all the way through Wyoming to Mount Rushmore, South Dakota, survived a hail storm and visited the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah.

August-2012

JULY 2012

July was such a relaxing month that I spent mostly in Maui, Hawaii followed by a short trip to Texas before heading home to Switzerland. Just a few days later, I flew to Munich for the launch of Bobbi Brown’s newest book Pretty Powerful.

August2012

AUGUST 2012

In August, I flew quite a lot to Germany for work and Sandra’s Closet reached 40.000 Facebook likes (By the way, today we are close to 75.000 likes, how amazing is this in this short amount of time?!).

An absolute highlight were the St. Moritz Art Masters where I had the honour to be photographed by Amedeo M. Turello and Steve McCurry, two of the most famous photographers in the world. The results will be posted soon.

September2012

SEPTEMBER 2012

September was one of the busiest months of the year. For me, it started with the Venice Film Festival. I was invited by Gucci for the launch of Gucci Première and was so excited to meet with the face of the campaign, Blake Lively. Right after, I had the photo shoot for Swiss News.

In Zurich, I met perfumer Geza Schön during a lunch over the rooftops of the Swiss city. With Dior, I attended the Zurich Film Festival.

With Piaget, I went to the Biennale des Antiquaires in Paris and visited the famous Château de Malmaison. Just a few days later, I flew back to the French capital for Fashion Week. Best party: Anna Dello Russo’s Paradise Ball. Favourite shows: Pascal Millet and Jean Paul Gaultier.

October2012-2

OCTOBER 2012

The first days of the month, I was still in Paris for Fashion Week and attended blockbuster shows such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Valentino and Miu Miu.

Later, I flew to Hamburg to visit the Montblanc headquarters and worked on the creation of my Bespoke Limited Edition Ink “Sandra Berry” that was launched in the end of the year. Another exciting collaboration with Closed was revealed: My limited edition blogger “Zurich” T-shirt.

Then, I left for New York City for the best party of the year: The launch of Maison Martin Margiela with H&M where I spotted celebrities such as Julianne Moore, Chase Crawford and Sarah Jessica Parker.

The last days of the month, I went to Geneva to visit the Chopard headquarters in Meyrin.

November-2012

NOVEMBER 2012

Another busy month that started with the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Days Zurich. November marked a lot of events on Zurich‘s social agenda, such as the opening of the Rolex boutique and the Moncler store.

I flew to Greece with Hermès and hosted the exclusive Caviar & Oyster collection dinner with Bobbi Brown at my house.

December2012DECEMBER 2012

Such an exciting month for me as my Montblanc Bespoke Limited Edition Ink “Sandra Berry” has been finally launched.

I went to Gstaad with Louis Vuitton for the opening of their new store in the Swiss Alps and flew to Doha, Qatar for New Year’s Eve.

Pleats Please – The Perfume that Moves You

Pleats Please

As promised less than two weeks ago, here is the new fragrance, that I was telling you about: Pleats Please by Issey Miyakethe perfume that moves you.

Pleats Please 2

Pleats Please 3

The launch event took place at the Louvre in Paris with a very different und beautiful presentation. Dressed in pleats of every colour, models leaped and danced, twirled and spinned, motivating the audience to join in the fun.

Issey Dance

The designer Issey Miyake is known known globally for his signature pleats – a look that went around the world in more than 80 colours; it is contemporary yet timeless. Today, the iconic line Pleats Please Issey Miyake has its own fragrance. It is a scent that pays homage to a seminal fashion creation: an infusion of emotion and olfactory ode to joy.

Pleats Please 5

The iconic L’Eau d’Issey and L’Eau d’Issey Pour l’Homme burst forth from the fountain of Issey Miyake fragrances; clear and shimmering, the waters heralded Issey Miyake’s first foray into perfumery.
Pleats Please is completely different, a joyous, light-hearted scent with meticulously sculpted facets created by perfumer Aurélien Guichard. For this new fragrance, the exuberance and heartiness of a floral bouquet was a must – flowers to define the femininity of a subtle delicate composition.

Pleats Please ParfumeurPerfumer Aurélien Guichard

Pleats Please Bottles

Top Note: Nashi (a hybrid fruit that oscillates between pear and apple, with the pear note predominating).

Middle Notes: Peony and sweet pea. Indole adds a fleshly, voluptous touch and „gives substance to the note“, the perfumer explains. The accord is warm and vibrant, like „an invitation to fluidity“. (Remember Roja Dove who explained me the sexual power of indole. Click here if you would like to know more.)

Base notes: Cedar, patchouli, vanilla and white musks.

Available from September 2012. The product range comprises a trio of eau de toilette in three formats: 30, 50 and 100 ml. The EdTs are supplemented by two derivatives infused with the notes of Pleats Please: a creamy, body lotion and a deodorant spray.

Issey Bag3

The bottle is very interesting. Its shape is reminiscent of a bag that is put down on the floor. The cap takes the form of a floral calyx, a finely pleated abstraction that symbolises both a white flower and the Pleats Please fabric.

In his quest for the timeless and functional in fashion, Issey Miyake found his answer in pleats. Fashion keeps moving, and so does fragrance!

It was such a beautiful presentation at the Louvre! For more details about my look, please click here for the previous post.

LoL, Sandra

Issey MePhotos: © Sandra Bauknecht