One of the greatest Japanese designers, Issey Miyake revolutionized the way people thought about clothing in the 1970s and 80s. Considered by many a latter-day Fortuny (one of the early 20th centuries greatest designers), Miyake is most famous for his silk pleated creations in bold colors. He started his career in Paris in the late 1960s working for Guy Laroche and then Givenchy. In 1969 he went to New York where he worked with Geoffrey Beene. In 1970 he returned to Tokyo to set up his design studio and shortly after showed his first collection in Paris. Often considered an artist over a designer, Miyake's trademark has been his unique use of cutting edge materials.