SPECIAL INFORMATION for “HIROKO KOSHINO”, special site

“Rakuten Fashion Week TOKYO”, is a place for fashion designers to announce their latest collection.
“HIROKO KOSHINO” has been continuously presenting twice a year since 1977, 28 years before the establishment of the Japan Fashion Week Organization (hereinafter indicated as JFWO) in 2005.
Even after the establishment of the Japan Fashion Week Organization (hereinafter indicated as JFWO) in 2005, they have been presenting their collection for a total of 30 times, making them the most participating brand in the history of Tokyo’s Fashion Week.
Their designer, Hiroko Koshino has a career as a designer of over 65 years. She has continued to support the efforts of JFWO, not only as a designer, but also as an individual member, and as a leader of the Japanese fashion industry, she has been a pulling force for years, since the dawning of the industry.
Starting from this season, “HIROKO KOSHINO” is returning to its origins, presenting a collection centering around an haute couture collection, in new presentation forms. Upon receiving news of their decision, at JFWO, it has become our wish to transmit news and information on movements of the “HIROKO KOSHINO” brand, all year round, regardless of whether or not it is during the twice a year “Rakuten Fashion Week TOKYO” term, and so, we have established a ‘SPECIAL INFORMATION for “HIROKO KOSHINO”’ site.
Please look forward to the latest information on the “HIROKO KOSHINO” brand transmitted on this site.

Japan Fashion Week Organization

Brand Profile

Designer

Hiroko Koshino

Brand SNS

My creative activity expanded when I opened my haute couture store in 1964. Haute couture was my starting point as a designer. On the other hand, the Pret-a-Porter Collection I have been engaged in since 1982 is the main pillar of HIROKO KOSHINO.
We have been presenting both houte couture and Pret-a-Porter collections separately each year, but we have decided to combine the two collections and to bring them to the center of all brands.
The houte couture items presented at shows are available for reservation after you have had the opportunity to look at the samples. Since it takes a certain period of time to get them tailored, we have decided to present our collection at a different time period from the Fashion Week.
We will no longer be listed on the calendar, however, please look forward to the ever-evolving HIROKO KOSHINO collection.

Designer Profile

Born in Kishiwada City, Osaka, Koshino received the first prize of the design competition sponsored by the Nippon Designers Club while studying at the Bunka Fashion College, Tokyo.
In 1964, she opened the first haute couture store in Shinsaibashi, a prime location in Osaka, and since 1977 she has presented her collection in Tokyo until now. Her sensational debut in Europe was in 1978, when she participated in the Alta Moda in Rome as the first Japanese designer.
For 10 years from 1982, she was engaged in the Paris Pret-a-Porter Collection, and ever since then has been invited to present collections in many cities around the world, as well as collaborating events with artists from other fields.
She went back to the Paris Pret-a-Porter Collection in 2009, and with her experiences of exhibiting her art works during recent years, in 2011 she had the exhibition of both fashion works and art works in Paris.
From April to June of 2021, a grand exhibition titled “Hiroko Koshino Exhibition” was held at Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art. Koshino won the Mainichi Fashion Grand Prix in 1997, and the Osaka Art Awards 2001.

Brand Profile

[Established year] 1982
HIROKO KOSHINO is one of Japan’s representative brand and is highly appraised worldwide. 5 women’s ready to wear line, HIROKO KOSHINO COUTURE、HIROKO KOSHINO、TRUNK HIROKO KOSHINO、HIROKO BIS、re: edition project 165, together counts 130 shops in Japan and overseas.
The brand also offers various licensed line such as women’s wear for TV home shopping, small items including bags, purses, hats, men’s fashion items from clothes to bags , and daily items such as towels and tableware.

Contant／Press

HIROKO KOSHINO Co.,Ltd. / Ms. Masae Kusano

Address

3-4-9 Sendagaya,Shibuya-ku,Tokyo 151-0051, Japan

Tel

03-5474-2933

Fax

03-5474-3770

Email

kusano@hirokokoshino.com

Link

https://www.hirokokoshino.com/

Shop

HIROKO KOSHINO Nihombashi Takashimaya

Address

2-4-1 Nihombashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

Tel

03-3275-1515

Link

https://www.hirokokoshino.com/en/shops/

Online Shop

ITOKIN Online Store

Link

https://www.itokin.net/brand/hiroko_koshino

Gallery

KH Gallery Ashiya

Address

17-5 Okuike-cho, Ashiya City, Hyogo Japan 659-0003

Tel

+81-797-63-5678

Link

https://www.kh-gallery.com

History

HIROKO KOSHINO
Chronology

1937

Born in Kishiwada City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan.

1957

Won Nippon Designers Club’s best designer award, while studying at the Bunka Fashion College, Tokyo.

1961

Graduated from Bunka Fashion College.
Became an exclusive designer for a youthful womenswear line at the Ginza Komatsu Store, now Ginza Komatsu.

1964

Opened an haute couture atelier in Shinsaibashi, Osaka.

1977

Joined the Top Designers 6 (TD6).
Debuted collection in Tokyo and has been showcasing biannually ever since.

1978

Became the first Japanese designer to join Alta Moda, Rome - the sensational international debut and the consequent impact of her collection instantly lead to a 30-page special feature in Italian Harper’s Bazaar.

1982

Established Hiroko Koshino International Inc. and was inaugurated as the President.
Started women's ready-to-wear and licensing businesses.
Debuted collection in Paris and showcased biannually.

1983

Became a specialty member of Osaka 21st Century Association.
As a result, the three sisters - Hiroko, Junko and Michiko Koshino - showcased a collection together as part of an Osaka 21st Century Association event.

1984

Became the first Japanese designer to showcase a collection at the Jing Jiang Club in Shanghai, China.

1985

Opened Hiroko Koshino branch office in Tokyo.
Became a member of the Council of Fashion Designers, Tokyo (CFD), and the Kansai Association of Corporate Executives; as well as an honorary member of the Japan Designers Club Inc.

1987

Presented the first Osaka Collection at My Dome Osaka, under the auspices of Osaka Prefecture, Osaka City and renowned business personalities of Osaka.
Showcased collection in Seoul, South Korea.

1988

Established Hiroko Koshino Design Office and was inaugurated as the President.
Became the chairperson of Hiroko Koshino International Inc.

1989

Became an executive committee member of the World Fashion Fair (WFF).

1990

Organized and chaired C.O.D. (Collective of Osaka Designers).

1991

Opened branch for Hiroko Koshino Co., Ltd. in Paris, France.

1993

Discontinued showcasing in Paris after 10 consecutive years of joining the event and closed the Paris branch office.

1994

Presented a collaborative event, “Twilight Modes,” in Prague, Czech Republic, with architect Borek Sipek and stage director Bambi Uden.
Held “Hiroko Koshino Works” exhibition showcasing her Japanese calligraphic works, at the Kintetsu Art Building in Osaka.

1995

Lectured at the International Apparel Federation Convention in Washington, D.C., U.S.A., as a representative of Asian designers.

1996

Designed the uniforms for the employees of the Osaka Imperial Hotel.

1997

Debuted Hiroko Koshino Homme as part of the Osaka Collection, welcoming the Governor and Mayor of Osaka as models.
Celebrated the 15th-year anniversary of the brand and the 40th-year of fashion design.
Won the first honor of the 15th Mainichi Fashion Grand Prix.
Published HK 2001 - a collection of her works.

1998

Organized a fashion event, “Fashion Vision 21,” with composer Shigeaki Saegusa at Chikatsu Asuka Museum.

2000

Organized a collaborative event, “Tactile Sensation,” with interior designer Christian Biecher in Hamburg, Germany.
Designed ballet costumes for the Grand Theatre de Geneve, for their first ever performance in Japan.
Presented a collaborative fashion show with sisters Junko and Michiko, at their hometown - Kishiwada City, Osaka.

2001

Semper was built - an atelier and guest house in Ashiya City, Hyogo.
Won the first honor of the Osaka Art Award 2001.

2002

Held an exhibition, “Honoka, Hirameki,” meaning Faint, Afflatus, in Tokyo, Sapporo and Kokura, displaying her calligraphic works and paintings.

2003

Exhibited paintings drawn using Chinese ink and select collection items, at the “Hiroko Koshino Works” exhibition, Kintetsu Art Building, Osaka.

2004

Exhibited paintings, calligraphic works drawn using Chinese ink and select collection items, at the “Hiroko Koshino Exhibition 2004,” Ashiya City Museum of Art and History, Ashiya City, Hyogo.

2005

Acted as a co-producer of the government-led “Cool Biz” movement to promote men's energy-saving fashion for the summer and made some proposals.

2006

Held collaborative exhibition, “Kasane,” meaning Layers, with renowned kimono-maker Genbe Kondaya and architect Kengo Kuma, at the Daimaru Museum, Tokyo. Kimonos and obi belts made of very fine silk were adorned by Hiroko using a brush and Chinese ink.

2007

Commemorated her 50th-year anniversary as a fashion designer.
Showcased collection at “Anomalous Duality” - a collaborative event held with British musician Michael Nyman in Shanghai - part of the official program for the 9th China Shanghai International Arts Festival.

2008

Renamed company from Hiroko Koshino Design Office to what it is today - Hiroko Koshino Co., Ltd.

2009

Presented collection in Paris after an absence of more than 15 years.
Presented collection at the Taipei arena with top Taiwanese designer Shiazy Chen, for the “Taipei In Style” event.
Became the first foreigner to receive the title of professor emeritus at Shih Chien University, Taiwan.

2010

Presented a show in Paris, where she exhibited her collection pieces as well as textile designs where visitors were able to observe the details and touch the pieces.
Invited to the International Costume Culture and Education Conference in Beijing, China, to speak, and was appointed as professor emeritus for the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology. Presented her collection on the final day of the conference.

2011

Discontinued showcasing in Paris and exhibited “Hiroko Koshino Creations 2011” - an art and fashion exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, in Paris.

2012

Exhibited the first personal exhibition as an artist, at the Galerie Hors-Champs in Paris.
Designed the uniforms of the Japanese gymnasts contending at the London Olympics 2012, and has designed the uniforms for both men and women up to the present date.
Opened KH Gallery Ginza, the first gallery to present Hiroko Koshino’s artwork.

2013

Held a solo art exhibition at the Sanyo Department Store, Himeji, Hyogo.
Opened HK Gallery Ashiya, remodeling former residence to gallery dedicated solely to Hiroko Koshino’s artwork.
Designed the official uniform of the national trampoline team competing at an international competition.
Held solo exhibitions at the Hanshin and Daimaru Shinsaibashi department store’s galleries.

2014

Exhibited art works at the well-established Galerie Nicolas Deman, in Paris.
Exhibited art works at Biwako Biennale 2014 Utakata.
Held an exhibition at Daimaru Kyoto Department Store in Kyoto.

2015

Exhibited a collaborative piece with flower arrangement artist Atsunobu Katagiri at the Awaji Hanahaku 2015, and held an exhibition of fashion and art titled “Hiroko Koshino Exhibition.”
Held an exhibition titled “Hiroko Koshino Exhibition: Traces of the Brush” at the Daimaru Department Store Shinsaibashi in Osaka.

2016

Became the chair of Hiroko Koshino Co., Ltd.
Held an exhibition titled “Hiroko Koshino: Black & White - Sumi Ink and Blank Space” at the Air Gallery in Osaka.
Awarded the Hyogo Prefecture Award for Distinguished Service.
Appointed as a member of a committee formed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to explore ways of branding the city of Tokyo.

2017

Served as a panelist on the Business of Fashion and Design panel at the 2017 Global Summit of Women.
Published HIROKO KOSHINO - t is as it is - to commemorate the 60th year of her career as a designer.

2018

Appointed as the honorary director of Kobe Fashion Museum.
Held an exhibition titled “A Touch of Bauhaus” at White Box in New York.

2019

Performed a Nagauta Shamisen piece as Kineya Katsutoku-jo and worked on some of the stage background at the 12th national convention of the Nagauta Kinetsukikai held at the Kabukiza Theatre.
Held a special fashion show titled “Hiroko Koshino Fashion Show: Get Your Style!” in Kobe, with a hundred amateur models of all ages.
Closed KH Gallery Ginza to consolidate showcase functions to the Ashiya gallery.

2021

Held a special exhibition titled “Hiroko Koshino - ExVision To The Future –“ at Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art.
Appointed as the councilor of Tokyo Council of the Arts formed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

2022

The above “ExVision” exhibition was awarded silver prize of Kukan Design Award 2022 and bronze prize of Japan Sign Design Award 2022.
Nagauta Kinetsukikai appeared on a public recording performance held by NHK for which Hiroko performed and designed the stage artwork and program.
Held an exhibition titled “Hiroko Koshino Exhibition” at the art gallery as part of the 50th anniversary festival of Kintetsu Department Store Nara.

2023

Became an accredited master of Kinetsukikai. Performed and designed the program and stage background at the 13th national convention held at Kyoto Minamiza Theater.
Held an exhibition titled “Hiroko Koshino Exhibition Art et Luxe” at the art gallery of Matsuzakaya Ueno Store.

HIROKO KOSHINO
Origin of her creative works

Hiroko Koshino was born in Kishiwada City, Osaka, Japan - the first daughter of the Koshino family. Her grandfather was a dealer in kimono fabrics, her father a tailor and her mother ran a store carrying westernized fashion. As a result, since her childhood, Hiroko was highly influenced by both the sensual Japanese beauty of kimonos, as well as the westernized fashion and styles - the people around her and the environment she was within greatly helped nurture her creativity, shape her identity and epitomize a fusion of the East and the West.

It was during the 1950s and 60s that Hiroko’s talent flourished. After enrolling on to the Design Course at the Bunka Fashion College in Tokyo, Hiroko exhibited her skillful paintings and made a remarkable success, winning a number of design contests, including the first prize for a competition sponsored by the Nippon Designers Club (NDC). Following Hiroko Koshino at the time at Bunka Fashion College were a number of highly talented young designers, including Kenzo Takada, Yohji Yamamoto, Tokio Kumagai, and Junko Koshino, Hiroko’s younger sister. Together in the late 1970s, they established the TD6 - the predecessor of the Tokyo Collection - and participated at the Paris collections in the 1980s.

While taking over her mother’s store in Kishiwada City, after graduating from the Bunka Fashion College, Hiroko was appointed as an in-house designer for the Ginza Komatsu Store, now known as Ginza Komatsu, and consequently opened an eponymous haute couture store in Shinsaibashi - a prime location in Osaka. Decorated with dried flowers, antique items and innovative designs at the time, her store quickly became very popular, leading to the expansion of several new licensing businesses. However, financial difficulties that most emerging designers face started to become more prominent with the increasing number of seasons and collections - Hiroko says in retrospect, “t was a period of hardship,” although she was just 26 years old and thoroughly enjoying designing despite the inevitable obstacles. Around the same period, Sueo Irie, who opened his atelier in Paris after working as assistant to Kenzo Takada, was hired as her atelier staff and worked for Hiroko Koshino until he moved to France.

It was in the 1970s that Hiroko’s career began to soar. She presented a collection in Tokyo as part of TD6 and also made her first international debut at Alta Moda, Rome; becoming the first Japanese designer to ever participate in the same. The works she created in collaboration with Italian traditional craftsmen truly amazed people in Rome, leaving a long-lasting impression and also leading to a 30-page special feature in Italian Harper’s Bazaar. It was this period when the identity of Hiroko Koshino and “the beauty of the fusion of the East and the West” began to be truly and extensively appreciated.

The 1980s brought with it further success, also making it the busiest period for Hiroko, internationally. Her activities overseas expanded monumentally, starting with showcasing at the Pr ê t- à -Porter collections in Paris in 1982, followed by being invited to present in other metropolises such as Shanghai and Seoul. While she gradually started to become a household name worldwide - France, Italy, other parts of Europe and Asia - she devoted her time to create the Osaka Collection in order to promote fashion in her hometown. As a member of the Council of Fashion Designers, Tokyo (CFD), which organizes the Tokyo Collection, she was also a central figure to hold the Osaka Collection as an expert committee member of the Osaka 21st Century Association, which was created under the slogan “From Osaka to Asia.” As a result, Hiroko presented collections in Paris, Tokyo and Osaka at every season around this period.

The 1990s saw a further expansion of Hiroko Koshino’s creative activities across the globe. While presenting collections every season, she collaborated with architect Borek Sipek and producer Bambi Uden in Prague, Czech Republic, and made a speech as a designer representing Asia in the General Assembly of the International Apparel Federation, held in Washington D.C. In Japan, she held an exhibition of her calligraphic works, which she has honed since her childhood; at the Kintetsu Art Building in Osaka. Although this exhibition was out of the realms of fashion, it strongly attracted the attention of art critics upon the opening, validating her knowledge, wisdom and versatility as a designer and person. In 1997, Hiroko published HK 2001 - a book with a selection of her works commemorating her 40th anniversary as a designer. In addition, she won the Mainichi Fashion Grand Prix sponsored by the Mainichi newspaper, in recognition of her long-term activities within Japan and overseas.

Her creative work never paused but was only more driven and evolved since having crossed such a monumental milestone. She held Fashion Vision 21 in collaboration with composer Shigeaki Saegusa at the Osaka Prefecture Chikatsu Asuka Museum. She also took charge of costume design for the Grand Theatre de Geneve - a ballet theater which made its first performance in Japan. Overseas, she worked on a fashion collaboration, Tactile Sensation, with architect and interior designer Christian Biecher, in Hamburg, Germany.

It could be said that in the 2000s, Hiroko entered her period of maturity. In 2001, she opened an atelier and guest house, Semper, in Okuike, Ashiya City, Hyogo; overlooking the panoramic view of the Osaka Bay and establishing an environment conducive to her creative activities. In the following years, she held a number of exhibitions nationwide, featuring pieces of her collections and ink paintings. She also held the Hiroko Koshino Exhibition 2004 - a culmination of fashion, calligraphy and painting - at Ashiya City Museum of Art and History, at the request of Ashiya City.

The exhibition presented the opportunity for Hiroko to challenge creation within other capacities. Genbe Kondaya, the master of the obi (kimono belt) - a 270-year-old Japanese tradition - visited the exhibition and offered to collaborate with Hiroko towards the creation of a completely new type of kimono and obi. As a result, Hiroko’s design of the fusion of traditional Japanese culture with Western culture is incorporated in the kimono, a traditional Japanese cloth and thus, vigorous kimono designs which bear both the traditionally Japanese as well as contemporary exoticism. Following the same, an exhibition of kimono and obi, titled Kasane, meaning Layers, was held at the Daimaru Museum in Tokyo. Designed by architect Kengo Kuma, the venue with hills full of moss and dramatic lighting greatly put vision to perspective.

During the same period, Hiroko also restarted to learn the shamisen - a traditional Japanese musical instrument with three strings, similar to a guitar - which she acquainted herself with since the age of three, under Rokunobu Kineya, currently renamed to Katsuroku Kineya. As Rokunobu-jo Kineya (currently renamed Katsuroku-jo Kineya), Hiroko had the honor of closing by performing a piece considered to be one of the most difficult, titled “Kanjincho” on her second performance held at the National Bunraku Theatre, and brought the audience to their feet. In aggregation, it clearly demonstrated Hiroko’s vast spectrum of talents - fashion, calligraphy, painting and the shamisen - and versatility, all a driving force that enable her and the people around her to thrive.

Around the same time, she presented designs to “cool down” men’s’ business wear as part of a global warming prevention initiative at the request of the then Minister of Environment, Yuriko Koike. This important social pursuit, named “Cool Biz,” became a social phenomenon of the summer, following up to become a highly popular annual event.

Hiroko Koshino commemorated her 50th-year as a fashion designer in 2007, with her passion as a creator, artist, designer and person only becoming stronger with time. Having met British composer and musician Michael Nyman the same year, she held a joint event in Shanghai, China, for the Shanghai International Arts Festival. Needless to say, the show highly fascinated the 2000 members of the audience. Despite the status and fame as a leading Japanese fashion designer, Hiroko Koshino never settles. She decided to set up a branch in London and employ young designers from the top design schools in the world to, again, stimulate staff and herself. She also decided to participate in the Paris Pr ê t- à -Porter collections, which had been suspended since 1992. The news that an established Japanese fashion designer with the “spirit of being a rookie” was returning to Paris attracted both the Japanese and French press. The Paris Collection also triggered an invitation to Taipei In Style - a special event and show, together with top Taiwanese designer Shiatzy Chen.

By 2010, Hiroko Koshino was quickly becoming known as an artist as much as a fashion designer. She had transformed her collection in Paris to a static, exhibition-like event, collaborating fashion and art, and expressing the world of creation comprehensively. Visitors enjoyed seeing each item up-close and being able to get a touch and feel of the same. Hiroko Koshino has always linked art and fashion, and used painted artwork for her textiles. However, by 2012, her activity as an artist flourished and a private art exhibition was held at the Galerie Hors-Champs in Paris. The exhibition was her virtual debut as an artist, displaying only artwork. During the same year, with the opening of the Ginza flagship boutique, KH Gallery Ginza, her first gallery, was opened to exhibit seasonal art works of Hiroko Koshino. In 2013, she renovated her residence in Ashiya City into her second gallery - KH Gallery Ashiya. Now she brought all her galleries to Ashiya, holding special exhibitions according to the season, and this world-famous building designed by renowned architect Tadao Ando has attracted many a visitor from all over the world.

She continues to hold exhibitions at home and overseas. She also works on stage design for the national conventions of the Nagauta Kinetsukikai she takes part in as a master. She is supporting Kinetsukikai behind the scenes by providing an ink painting to be enlarged and used as a backdrop of the stage, and also designing the program. Together with fashion, art has now become a major part of Hiroko’s creative activities. In 2017, she published Hiroko Koshino - it is as it is - to commemorate her 80th birthday, thoroughly introducing the works she has created during her career of 60 years. In 2021, she held a special exhibition at Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art presenting fashion and art on a large scale. The exhibition was not a culmination of her works, but was held as a means to express her new dimension. Her intention caught the attention of young generations and despite the COVID-19 pandemic, many people in their twenties and thirties returned to see the exhibition.

Currently she is in her mid-eighties, and she still knows no bounds and continues to challenge herself. She has decided to combine her two collections, haute couture, she has continued to work on as the origin of her career as a fashion designer, and Pret-a-Porter, which is the pillar of the brand, and to further refine as the origin of all creations.

“People in the fashion world always look ahead, rather than looking back. I want to remain an unpretentious fashion designer, regardless of nationality, by honestly expressing whatever I feel” - Hiroko Koshino.