Junko Koshino’s hometown is Kishiwada, Osaka, which is famous for the dynamic Danjiri festivals. Since her parents were dressmakers, clothes making must have been a familiar thing for her from an early age. Later she moved to Tokyo, the center of Japan’s fashion culture, to go to college.

In 1960, Koshino became the youngest person ever to win the Soen Award. In Japan, the award is considered to be a gateway to success for new designers. Following Koshino, some of the leading figures of Japan’s contemporary fashion industry, including Kenzo Takada, Kansai Yamamoto, and Yohji Yamamoto, also won the award.

Junko Koshino Continues to lead the Japanese fashion world as a fashion icon

With her namesake brand, Koshino participated in Paris Fashion Week for 22 years since 1978. Moreover, she has earned an exceptional reputation by organizing avant-garde shows around the world. Even at the age of 84, she doesn’t seem to slow down at all, as she is continuing to expand the horizon of her creative endeavors through projects in recent years such as the costume creation for traditional Japanese drum performance group DRUM TAO, fireworks design using a night sky as a canvas, and the collaboration between Noh and fashion.

Flyer visual for the exhibition “Junko Koshino: From the Origin to the Present.”

“Junko Koshino: From the Origin to the Present” that will be held in Koshino’s hometown, Osaka, is one of the largest exhibitions ever to showcase the entire picture of her fashion journey. It explores the essence of her creative journey in great depth, featuring about 200 items including costumes, design drawings, and photo panels.

Based in Japan, Junko Koshino has always been, and still is, a forerunner of the fashion industry. Why not visit the exhibition to see for yourself the Japanese avant-garde fashion?

Rinpa School Collection “Haori” (2004) Koshino’s fashion design appears to be somewhat futuristic, yet it also encapsulates many Japanese elements.

Spike Dress 2010 The avant-garde design is characteristic.

DRUM TAO “Contemporary Armor” Costume (2018) Koshino has been working on a wide variety of projects such as the costume creation for traditional Japanese drum performance group DRUM TAO.

■DATA Junko Koshino: From the Origin to the Present Venue：Abeno Harukas Museum of Art 　　　 Abeno Harukas 16F, 1-1-43 Abenosuji, Abeno-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Date: November 23, 2023 - January 21, 2024 Opening hours: Tuesday - Friday / 10:00 - 20:00 Monday, Saturday, Sunday, and holidays / 10:00-18:00 Admission until 30 minutes before closing Closed Date: November 27 (Mon.), 2023, December 31 (Sun.), January 1 (Mon.), 2024 Venue HP: https://www.aham.jp/exhibition/future/junkokoshino

(Information as of October 2023.)