Japanese Designer Issey Miyake, Creator of the 'Jobs Turtleneck,' Passes Away

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] Japanese designer Issey Miyake, famous for creating the black turtleneck worn by Baobao and Steve Jobs, passed away from cancer on the 5th at the age of 84, according to Japanese media reports.

Born in Hiroshima in 1938, Miyake graduated from Tokyo Tama Art University and then moved to Paris, France in 1965, where he learned design from and worked with famous designers such as Guy Laroche and Givenchy. In 1969, he moved to New York and worked under fashion designer Geoffrey Beene. In 1970, he returned to Tokyo and established the Miyake Design Office, entering the high-end women's fashion industry.

He is credited with creating universal women's clothing that wraps the body with a single piece of fabric. His representative women's wear work, "Pleats Please," released in 1993, was loved by women for being comfortable to wear regardless of body shape.

In Korea, the women's bag brand "Baobao," created by Miyake, gained popularity. This product is a bag made by combining and stitching triangular shiny materials on fabric, attracting attention for its unique design that changes shape depending on the contents placed inside.

Miyake's relationship with Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, also increased his fame. Miyake made hundreds of the black turtlenecks that became Jobs' trademark. Jobs was famous for wearing a turtleneck, jeans, and sneakers during Apple product presentations. When Jobs visited Japan, he showed interest in the uniforms worn by Sony employees designed by Miyake, and through this connection, Miyake began making his turtlenecks.

A hibakusha (atomic bomb survivor), Miyake also played a role in former U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Hiroshima. When the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima in August 1945, Miyake was a first-grade elementary school student and was exposed to the bomb. During his lifetime, he said about sharing his experience of the bombing, "I feel a personal and ethical responsibility."