Yuima Nakazato

Objets inspirés, 1867-2018 at Le musée des Arts décoratifs, Paris

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.

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.

While at Antwerp, Nakazato instructors included Linda Loppa, Dries van Noten and Walter Van Beirendonck.

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.

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.

That year, he presented his first collection at showroom in Antwerp together with other graduates from the Antwerp Academy including Demna Gvasalia.

Nakazato designed a costume for Fergie which she wore while performing in a world tour with the Black Eyed Peas in 2010.

In October 2010, he presented his first runway collection at Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo.

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.

2013: FFI Showroom, Paris

2013: Wonderingmode and Dreams of Reason at Centre of Contemporary Art Znaki Czasu (CoCA) in Torun

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.

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.

Nakazato collaborated with Japan's Ministry of the Environment in 2021 to introduce an educational program on social responsibility and environmental issues in fashion design.

The program's jury included Kazuyo Sejima and Ai Tominaga among others.

Since 2022, Nakazato began collaborating with choreographers and theatre directors to design costumes for Operas and Ballet productions in both US and Europe.

In 2022 Nakazato designed costume for Belgian choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s artistic directorial debut at Geneva Grand Theatre, immediately followed by his second collaboration with Cherkaoui for Hanjo, an opera produced by Bavarian State Opera in Munich.

The brand since then continues to present couture collections biannually as part of Haute Couture Week in Paris as of 2023.

In 2023, Nakazato designed costume for Boston Ballet’s new production La Mer, created by a Dutch choreographer Nanine Linning

In 2018 KCI (Kyoto Costume Institution) acquired one of looks from his first couture collection ‘Unknown’ as the museum’s permanent collection.

2018: Harmonize at 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT, Tokyo

2018: Japon Japonismes.

2018: STATE OF FASHION 2018 SEARCHING FOR THE NEW LUXURY, Arnhem

2019: Future and the Arts: AI, Robotics, Cities, Life - How Humanity Will Live Tomorrow at Mori Museum, Tokyo

2019: THE GINZA YUIMA NAKAZATO Exhibition and Store at THE GINZA SPACE, Tokyo

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, and purchased its custom made look as permanent collection.

In 2022 Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg acquired one of bio-smocking looks from brand’s EVOKE couture collection as museums permanent collection.

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

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

2021: Fashion in Japan 1945-2020 at National Art Center Tokyo, Tokyo

2022: Cloud Walkers at Leeum museum, Seoul

2023: FASHION FICTIONS at Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver.