YUIMA NAKAZATO
YUIMA NAKAZATO is a Japanese couture label led by designer Yuima Nakazato, an Antwerp Royal Academy graduate. It shows at Paris Haute Couture Week and creates couture, as well as costumes for opera and ballet.
| Designer | Yuima Nakazato (born 1985) |
|---|---|
| Training | Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Antwerp |
| Paris couture | Guest member since July 2016 |
| Initiative | FASHION FRONTIER PROGRAM |
| Website | yuimanakazato.com |
What is YUIMA NAKAZATO?
YUIMA NAKAZATO is the couture label of Japanese designer Yuima Nakazato, born in 1985. He graduated in 2008 from the fashion department of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Belgium.
History
In July 2016 Nakazato was selected as an official guest designer for Haute Couture Week in Paris, becoming the only member from Japan. The house has since worked with material companies such as Spiber, which has published press releases on its collections, and has developed a reputation for combining couture craft with new textile technologies.
Products and positioning
Beyond runway collections, the designer has created costumes for opera and ballet since 2022, including productions for the Boston Ballet and the Geneva National Theatre. In 2024 the Cité de la Dentelle et de la Mode in Calais staged the monographic exhibition YUIMA NAKAZATO Beyond Couture.
Nakazato is also a founder of the FASHION FRONTIER PROGRAM, an educational programme focused on social responsibility and environmental issues in fashion design.
Why it matters
As Japan's representative on the Paris couture calendar, YUIMA NAKAZATO is a reference for how couture can engage with technology, education and performance.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Yuima Nakazato?
Yuima Nakazato is a Japanese couture designer, born in 1985, who trained at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp.
Does Yuima Nakazato show in Paris?
Yes, he has shown as an official guest designer at Paris Haute Couture Week since July 2016.