The Japanese designer who created the “Pleats Please” line and the fragrance “L’Eau d’Issey” was Issey Miyake.
Miyake became known for combining Japanese design ideas with experimental materials and production methods. His Pleats Please line, launched in 1993, used permanently pleated polyester garments that were lightweight, flexible, easy to pack, and designed to move with the body. The pleats were formed after the garments were sewn, helping the clothing retain its shape.
The line grew from Miyake’s earlier work with dance costumes. In 1991, he created permanently pleated costumes for choreographer William Forsythe’s Frankfurt Ballet production The Loss of Small Detail. The movement of the dancers helped inspire the clothing’s distinctive emphasis on freedom and motion.
L’Eau d’Issey, introduced in 1992, was Miyake’s first major fragrance and became one of the best-known designer perfumes of the late 20th century. A common mix-up is treating Pleats Please as a separate designer label; it is an Issey Miyake fashion line.