4 syllables: Is, sey Mi, ya, ke. Stress on sey Mi.
ee-SAY mee-yah-ke
/iˈseɪ ˌmiˌjɑːke/
Issey Miyake is pronounced ee-SAY mee-yah-ke (/iˈseɪ ˌmiˌjɑːke/). It has four syllables (Is-sey Mi-ya-ke), with the stress on "sey Mi". Issey Miyake is a renowned Japanese fashion designer, known for innovative, sculptural apparel and thoughtful, aesthetically driven collections. As a proper noun, it denotes the brand and the designer’s name, and is typically pronounced with clear syllable separation. The pronunciation emphasizes the two-part given name and surname, reflecting Japanese naming conventions adapted into English usage.
proper nounIssey Miyake is a renowned Japanese fashion designer, known for innovative, sculptural apparel and thoughtful, aesthetically driven collections. As a proper noun, it denotes the brand and the designer’s name, and is typically pronounced with clear syllable separation. The pronunciation emphasizes the two-part given name and surname, reflecting Japanese naming conventions adapted into English usage.
How to Pronounce Issey Miyake
"I wore an Issey Miyake dress to the gala."
"The Issey Miyake line emphasizes pleats and fluid movement."
"Her collection featured the distinctive Issey Miyake pleats aesthetic."
Pronounce it as is-SEE MYA-ke, with primary stress on the second syllable of Issey and the second syllable of Miyake. IPA: US /ɪˈseɪ ˈmiːjɑːke/; UK /ɪˈseɪ ˈmiːjake/ (approx). Start with a clear /ɪ/ then /ˈseɪ/ (rhymes with play), then /ˈmiː/ (MEES), and end with /jake/ (YOKE). Use two-syllable segments for each name part: Issey (IS-ey) and Miyake (MEE-ya-ke). Audio reference: look for brand introduction videos or Pronounce resources.
Common errors include flattening the name to Is-ee Mee-yake or misplacing stress on the first syllable. Also, English speakers may mispronounce Miyake as MEE-yaker or confuse the middle vowels. Correction: articulate Issey as IS-say with stress on the second syllable; Miyake as mee-YA-ke with stress on the YAKE, ensuring the /j/ is a clear y-sound before the final /e/. Practice saying ‘is-SAY’ and ‘mee-YA-ke’ in sequence slowly, then at natural speed.
In US, UK, and AU, the given name retains /ɪˈseɪ/ with heavy attention to the second syllable; surname is often pronounced /ˈmiːjake/ or /ˈmiˈjake/ with a strong /j/ before the final /e/. The main variation is vowel length: US tends to a longer /iː/ in Miyake’s first syllable, UK and AU often maintain /i/ or /iː/ with a slightly tighter final vowel. Rhoticity doesn’t affect the name significantly; focus on the two-stress pattern in English rhythm.
Difficulties stem from two non-native-English syllables and the name’s mixed origin. The second syllable in Issey requires a crisp /seɪ/ vowel, while Miyake’s second syllable has /a/ followed by /ke/ → /keɪ/ with a /j/ before the final vowel. The combination of English stress patterns with a Japanese-origin surname often leads to misplacement of stress or blending of syllables. Focus on separating the two name parts and maintaining distinct vowels.
Note the surname Miyake contains a /j/ before the final vowel, creating a ya-ke-like sound; do not merge the /j/ with /e/ to form a single glide. The Issey given name carries a long /eɪ/ vowel in the second syllable, not a short /e/. Emphasize the second syllable in Issey (IS-say) and the middle syllable in Miyake (mee-YA-ke). Keep the mouth relaxed but precise to avoid slurring between syllables.
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Issey Miyake refers to the celebrated Japanese designer Issey Miyake (born 1938) and his fashion house. ‘Issey’ is a Japanese given name commonly written with kanji that convey meanings related to ‘island’ or ‘vestige’ in some compounds, while ‘Miyake’ is a common Japanese surname. The surname Miyake (三宅) traditionally combines the kanji for ‘three’ (三) and ‘house/household’ (宅), though in contemporary personal naming it functions as a phonetic label rather than a literal descriptor. The designer studied under notable fashion figures in Tokyo and later established his own company in 1970, achieving international recognition through avant-garde fabrics, pleated textiles, and architectural silhouettes. The brand’s global visibility grew with runway shows and collaborations, making ‘Issey Miyake’ a household name in fashion by the late 1980s. The term’s first widely known usage in English-language fashion discourse traces to press coverage of his eponymous label, and today the name is consistently treated as a proper noun representing haute couture and innovative design. The evolution of the name in marketing aligns with a Japanese-to-English transliteration pattern where vowel-friendly, open-syllable pronunciations are favored in Western markets. Over time, the pronunciation has settled into two syllables for each name part, with a stress pattern that reflects English-language proper-noun rhythm rather than native Japanese pitch accents. Overall, the brand’s global footprint has cemented the phonetic rendering /ɪˈseɪ miˈyake/ in English-speaking contexts, while retaining original Japanese intonation in some brand communications. First known use in English appears in mid-to-late 20th century fashion journalism, corresponding with Miyake’s rise to international prominence.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
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Words that rhyme with "Issey Miyake"
-ake sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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