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Trailblazing Japanese Designer Issey Miyake Has Passed Away

Photo credit: Rose Hartman - Getty Images
Photo credit: Rose Hartman - Getty Images

The visionary Japanese fashion designer Issey Miyake has sadly died aged 84, following a battle with cancer.

Earlier this morning, Miyake Design Group and Issey Miyake Group released a brief statement confirming the news, adding that the designer passed away 'surrounded by close friends and associates' in a Tokyo hospital. No funeral or memorial service will be held, as per Miyake's wishes.

Photo credit: Daniel SIMON - Getty Images
Photo credit: Daniel SIMON - Getty Images

Best known for his signature 'Pleats Please' line of crease-free pleated separates, geometric 'Bao Bao' handbags and ultra-popular scents, Issey Miyake was born in Hiroshima in 1938, and was just seven years old when the atomic bomb dropped on the city. He went on to found his eponymous design studio in 1970 and was one of the first Japanese designers to show at Paris Fashion Week, gaining global recognition and renown for his innovative designs, fabrics and use of new technologies.

Photo credit: Images Press - Getty Images
Photo credit: Images Press - Getty Images

'Never one to embrace trends, Miyake’s dynamic spirit was driven by a relentless curiosity and desire to convey joy through the medium of design,' said the Miyake design group in a statement released today. 'Always a pioneer, Miyake both embraced traditional handcrafts but also looked to the next solution: the newest technology driven by research and development. He never once stepped back from his love, the process of making things. He continued to work with his teams, creating new designs and supervising all collections under the various Issey Miyake labels. His spirit of joy, empowerment and beauty will be carried on by the next generations.'

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