A 50-year-old Issey Miyake is at a crossroads. The year is 1988 and the Japanese designer feels creatively stifled. Despite his successes and positive reception in Paris, he feels -professionally stagnant. "I doubted my will to continue in the late 1980s, I realised that my work was faltering.
I despaired," he said in the 2002 documentary Issey Miyake Moves, written and directed by Setsuko Miura. It was then that his idea of pleats were born. It was a revolution, the antithesis of what he saw in '60s Europe which he deemed as complicated, restrictive clothing sculpted onto the body. His designs put distance between clothing and the human form, giving them movement and bringing forth a new era of freedom. His pleated designs, first seen in 1988 were a result of the designer's yearning to adapt and grow; a combination of fashion and functionality. Working on pleats lead Miyake to get out of his static state of mind it was the idea that set him free. It would later be said that "pleats were Issey's bridge from the '80s to the '90s." However the legacy he left behind went far further than a decade.
The late Issey Miyake was more than the prince of pleats, he was the master of movement. In 1965, Miyake moved to Paris to study haute couture at the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne. By the following year he was already working alongside Guy Laroche and Hubert De Givenchy as a design assistant before returning to Tokyo to set up the Miyake Design Studio in 1970. He left Paris with a changed perception on fashion and couture after witnessing the 1968 student protests. The demonstrations would have a part in shaping his creative outlook and sartorial nonconformity.
This story is from the November 2022 edition of Harper's Bazaar Malaysia.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 2022 edition of Harper's Bazaar Malaysia.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
In the heart of SUKKHACITTA
We get up close and personal with Rolex Awards for Enterprise Laureate, Denica Riadini-Flesch, on her expansive vision of her \"farm-to-closet\" brand, Sukkha Citta, and how winning the Rolex Awards will enrich the lives of the artisans and farmers in her homeland and across the globe.
IN CONVERSATION WITH Nazhan Fikri & Khabir Roslan
We paired two emerging Malaysian artists for an interview, allowing them to delve into each other's artistic worlds.
Liquid COURAGE
Experience the epitome of opulence and suaveness with the latest spirit in town, Belvedere 10.
Under ONE ROOF
Louis Vuitton unveils LV The Place Bangkok at Gaysorn Amarin, offering a new destination concept with an immersive exhibition, café, store, and restaurant.
Crème de la crème
Refined furnishings, eye-catching accents and extravagant proportions reign supreme at the interiorarchitect Dara Huang's Chelsea home.
LIGHTS, CAMERA, PASSION
Korean actor and heartthrob Lee Min Ho talks about the difference between Hollywood and Korean productions, taking on as many roles as possible, and why he's saving the Northern Lights for later.
CHRONICLES of a model
In an exclusive interview with Harper's BAZAAR Malaysia, Atikah Karim, Malaysia's celebrated model, recounts her remarkable journey from humble beginnings to international fame. Her inspiring story sheds light on her struggles, triumphs, and the relentless pursuit of a dream that propelled her onto the global fashion forefront, all while staying true to her Malaysian roots.
Feminine CHARM
TAG Heuer expands on its offerings for women with three new TAG Heuer Carrera Date timepieces.
Beauty & SUBSTANCE
The RM 07-01 Automatic Ladies watch collection from Richard Mille is a timeless ode to high design and technical ingenuity.
Out of this WORLD
Omega adds some cosmic wonder into its celestial-inspired Constellation watches.