Yuima Nakazato (born 29 September 1985 in Tokyo) is a Japanese fashion designer and an eponymous fashion brand. As of 2023, he is the only guest member of Haute Couture Week from Japan.
Yuima Nakazato was born in Tokyo to a family of a sculptor and a jewelry designer.[citation needed]
He began making clothes as a self-taught designer from his high school days before graduating from the Antwerp Royal Academy with a degree in fashion design in 2008. At the time, he was the youngest Japanese graduate from the program.[1]
His graduation piece was awarded an Innovation Award from a designer Ann Demeulemeester for incorporated ideas from origami, where the dress changes into a three-dimensional sculptural piece when opened. Shoes that he designed as a student are preserved in ModeMuseum Antwerpen.[2]
In 2009, Nakazato launched his eponymous label after becoming the only finalist in the history of ITS to be selected for two different competitions in different editions.[3] That year, he presented his first collection at showroom in Antwerp together with other graduates from the Antwerp Academy including Demna Gvasalia.[4]
Nakazato designed a costume for Fergie which she wore while performing in a world tour with the Black Eyed Peas in 2010.[2] In October 2010, he presented his first runway collection at Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo.[5] He went on to collaborate with Matthew Stone to create The Body Beyondo, a limited edition art book, which presented his 2012 S/S collection in 2011.[6]
In 2016, Nakazato was invited by the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode to present his collection at the Haute Couture Week in Paris. This made him the second official guest member from Japan, following 12 years after Hanae Mori's inclusion.[7]
In 2018, 21 21 Design Sight, a museum in Tokyo founded by Issey Miyake mounted Nakazato’s first exhibition ‘HARMONIZE’ devoted to reintroduce his couture works to Japanese audience and was visited by Issey Miyake.[8]
Since 2022, Nakazato began collaborating with choreographers and theatre directors to design costumes for Operas and Ballet productions in both US and Europe.
In 2018 KCI (Kyoto Costume Institution) acquired one of looks from his first couture collection ‘Unknown’ as the museum’s permanent collection.[15]
In 2020 MoMu praised ‘the Face to Face’ project, a charity project the brand presented as alternative to regular couture collection at Haute Couture Week during the pandemic,[16] and purchased its custom made look as permanent collection.[17]
2018: STATE OF FASHION 2018 SEARCHING FOR THE NEW LUXURY, Arnhem[22]
2019: Future and the Arts: AI, Robotics, Cities, Life - How Humanity Will Live Tomorrow at Mori Museum, Tokyo[23]
2019: THE GINZA YUIMA NAKAZATO Exhibition and Store at THE GINZA SPACE, Tokyo[24]
2020: Dress Code:Are You Playing Fashion? At The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto, Contemporary Art Museum, Kumamoto and Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery, Tokyo [25]
2020: Making Fashion Sense at HeK - House of Electronic Arts, Basel, Basel
2020: A BIOLOGICAL FUTURE FOR FASHION BY BIOFABRICATION, AS PART OF ‘OUR TIME ON EARTH’ at Barbican Centre, London[26]
