A Love Letter to Summer
“We yearn for the beautiful, the unknown, and the mysterious.
– Issey Miyake
In Remembrance of Miyake
Issey Miyake, who recently passed away in early August, was a Japanese fashion designer. He was notorious for his cutting-edge designs (Steve Jobs strictly wore turtlenecks that were personally created for him by Miyake), once stating, “I am not sentimental about the past. I like to think about what is next.” He was also just as renowned for his exhibitions and fragrances. L’eau d’Issey, his most well-known product, was a perfume inspired by water and helped to popularize oceanic fragrances.
The white pleated tote bag photographed above, composed entirely of recycled polyester, was designed by Miyake. He firmly believed in the reusing of material and that “designers must be increasingly sensitive to Earth’s dwindling resources.” To this point, Miyake was largely inspired by nature, and so the iconic pleated detail and vertical lines were inspired by tree trunks.
Much like nature itself, his ideas and creations were equally as evolutionary as they were timeless. But most importantly, Miyake followed his purpose with such joy; he worked with the intention of making clothes that move when people move, so that people can think freely and dance and laugh: “Clothing is the closest thing to humans.”
Miyake and his thoughtful, innovative contributions to society have revolutionized the world in more ways than one, and his spirit will continue to live on through his works.
farewell & hello
The pace at which summer came and went took me by surprise; I feel that I only got a fleeting glimpse of it. As we enter the fall, I hope that we all continue to hold onto some of the energy that summer never fails to bring us. I also hope that we honor Miyake’s philosophies moving forward, which remind us to be more mindful in the way we observe and interact with nature, its beauty, and its offerings — especially in how we gather and utilize materials.
“One must maintain a little bit of summer, even in the middle of winter.”
Henry David Thoreau
A Love Letter to Summer
Words, VISUALS, & Styling — Josephine Choe
model — LUCA SAKON