Growing Up in Japan

I was born in the fishing village of Shimonoseki, Japan, where I grew up eating the infamous “Fugu” (puffer fish).

 When I was a child, I liked playing with origami shapes, but I loved drawing and painting the most. My earliest memories are full of bright colours. I fondly remember that whenever mum asked me what I would like to wear, I always`wanted to be dressed in my favourite blue butterfly skirt.

Like most Japanese girls, I loved to read Manga comic books. I used to draw my favourite character, whenever and wherever. At about the same time, I started to become interested in fashion and used every opportunity to lead my primary school girlfriends into dressing according to particular colours. My two best friends would be dressed up all in blue and yellow, and I in red. This early interest for fashion kept on growing, and after I finished high school, I enrolled at the Osaka Design College to study fashion design.

After graduation I began working in Tokyo as a fashion designer. My works was most suited to young girls who were into offbeat fashion. Designing illustrations for product marketing and commercial profiles were also part of my artistic duties.

 After travelling extensively, the Melbourne lifestyle appealed to me, and I’ve been based here ever since.