Issey Miyake

Renowned clothing designer Issey Miyake (1938–2022) studied graphic design at Tama Art University, Tokyo, before founding the Miyake Design Studio in 1970, Miyake’s creative base for all his work. In 2007, Miyake opened the design facility 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT, also in Tokyo.

Midori Kitamura is chairman of the Miyake Design Studio and the Miyake Issey Foundation, and also president of 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT, working under Issey Miyake to develop collections, exhibitions, products, and publications, including Pleats Please Issey Miyake , also with TASCHEN. Kitamura directed the 2011 exhibition, Irving Penn and Issey Miyake: Visual Dialogue .

Kazuko Koike is the founder and director of Sagacho Exhibit Space in Tokyo. She has written and edited many books, including Issey Miyake East Meets West, Japanese Coloring, Japan Design , and Aura of Space . She is an Advisory Board member of MUJI.