Chisato Tsumori

Chisato Tsumori (ツモリチサト) is a Japanese fashion designer born in Saitama, Japan on November 12, 1954. "Chisato Tsumori" is also the name of the designer's popular clothing brand.

Chisato Tsumori The Brand

Chisato Tsumori brand clothing -- from dresses, jeans, shorts, and skirts to shoes, tops and accessories -- are known for being cool and kawaii (cute). The brand is extremely popular amount Japanese girls and is growing in popularity with fashionable girls who like cute fashion across Asia, Europe, and America.

About Chisato Tsumori

Chisato Tsumori is perhaps one of the most famous names in fashion both in and outside of Japan. Her designs have been featured in English-language fashion publications such as Elle and Vogue and on popular fashion websites like Style.com. A once protégé of fashion giant Issey Miyake, Tsumori has propelled to the top of the Tokyo fashion world through hard work and talent. Her designs have created a cult following among the young fashionistas on the streets of Japan's cities.

"When I’m not sleeping or eating, I’m hard at work," is what Tsumori told Metropolis Tokyo magazine. After she had graduated from the prestigious Bunka Academy of Fashion in 1976, Tsumori was hard at work already. She worked on Issey Miyake's Issey Sport line before she was given her own label in 1983, I.S. Chisato Tsumori Design. From 1990 onward, her label was included in the A-Net group, also part of Issey Miyake's fashion corporation.

What sets her apart from other designers, besides her hard work and attention to detail, is that she has fun with her designs. A recent survey of fashion design school graduates in Japan showed that working with Tsumori was one of the most sought-after positions in the fashion industry. And with good reason: she's not only a hard worker who is good at what she does, but she likes to make it enjoyable as well. Her designs reflect this ability to enjoy the fun things in life: one of her trademarks is the use of bright colors like pink, light blue, and purple.

Not only do people want to work with her, but they want Tsumori's designs as well. She has gained success both domestically and abroad. In Japan, she won the incredibly sought-after Mainichi Award, one of the top prizes for a fashion designer. As for the rest of the world, they got their first tastes of Tsumori at the turn of the new millennium when she opened her first store in Europe, located of course in Paris. She also chose Paris as the locale for her first fashion show outside of Japan in 2003. It was around this time as well that international distribution of her brand began.

Chisato Tsumori has come far throughout the years. Her designs are continuing to gain popularity in the international marketplace and she is still receiving high praise at home in Japan, too. She will continue working hard and working enjoyably, hopefully for many years to come, and will continue to see success as well.

Worldwide Expansion

The Chisato Tsumori has been increasingly popular with many Japanese girls each year since it's launch in 1990. In 2003, the brand began showing it's lines at Paris fashion week. Since that time, plans have been growing for a worldwide expansion of the brand. As of 2008, shops are being planned for Shanghai, Qatar, Dubai, and New York. The brand is also working on expanding its menswear line.

Chisato Tsumori Shops

Tsumori Chisato clothing is available at more than 40 retail locations in Asia. The brand has two flagship shops in Tokyo, one in Kobe and Tsumori launched her first shop in Europe in 1999 in Paris, France. Clothing from the brand is also available at select boutiques and online shops.

External Links

• Chisato Tsumori official website (Japanese)
• [Fashion Industry Article] (English)