Pioneering Japanese fashion designer Kansai Yamamoto, known for his work with David Bowie, died of leukemia at age 76, his family announced on Monday, July 27.

Confirming his death via Instagram, Yamamoto's daughter and actress Mirai Yamamoto said her father "left this world peacefully, surrounded by loved ones."

The acclaimed designer, who announced he had been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia earlier this year, died on July 21 after fighting the killer disease, according to The Japan Times.

"In my eyes, my father was not only the electric and energetic soul that the world knew him as but someone who was also thoughtful, kind-hearted, and affectionate," his daughter wrote on Instagram.

"As he fought his illness, he remained always positive, never lost his passion towards creation, and was strongly determined to recover and come back with fully-charged energy to see you again," reads a statement published by the designer's eponymous company.

"'Human energy is limitless' was his motto he would never let go, and he bravely kept challenging no matter hard the situation."

A household name in Japan, Yamamoto is considered a pioneer of the domestic industry and one of the five most influential designers in the country, ranking with other big names such as Kenzo Takada, Issey Miyake, Rei Kawakubo and Yoji Yamamoto.

Born in 1944, he is known for creating bold avant-garde collections that defied gender norms and featured brilliant colors and patterns and leaped to prominence with international shows from the 1970s onwards.

The Yokohama native debuted in London in 1971 as the first Japanese designer to organize a fashion show.

With his acclaimed creations shown in major international fashion weeks such as Paris and New York, he is also the first Japanese designer to stage his own runway show in the fashion capital of Paris. 

His groundbreaking collections have also brought him a long-lasting friendship with some of the most high-profile musicians in the world, including David Bowie, Elton John, and Stevie Wonder.

Yamamoto's designs often incorporated elements from Japanese culture, and he famously dressed the late English singer-songwriter Bowie in a cape covered in Japanese kanji characters.

The designer won popular acclaim for his collaboration with Bowie, producing a series of outfits for the singer's 1972-73 Ziggy Stardust tour. "I found David's aesthetic and interest in transcending gender boundaries shockingly beautiful," he told the website The Cut in 2018.

His eye-catching designs, replete with saturated colors and vivid motifs, set him apart from many of Japan's more minimalist fashion icons.

According to Yamamoto's office, a funeral has been held with family and close relatives attending, while a "public farewell" might be held at a later date.