Tokujin Yoshioka

Born in Saga, Japan in 1967.  Worked under Shiro Kuramata in 1987 and Issey Miyake since 1987 and established his own studio, Tokujin Yoshioka Design in 2000.

He has done many projects with Issey Miyake for nearly 20 years such as shop design and installation for A-POC and ISSEY MIYAKE.  Also, he has collaborated with various companies in and outside Japan such as HERMES, TOYOTA, BMW, KDDI and other noted ones.  With SWAROVSKI, the project of designing all the shops in the world is in progress, including the one in London and the new flagship shop in Ginza, Tokyo. 

Since the paper chair “Honey-pop” (2001) has attracted a great deal of public attention, Tokujin produced Driade’s “Tokyo-pop”, Yamagiwa’s lighting “ToFU”, cell phone “MEDIA SKIN” for au design project, chandelier “STARDUST” for SWAROVSKI Crystal Palace, polyester chair “PANE Chair”, “Chair That Disappears in the Rain” made of special glass, installations for LEXUS, MOROSO and many others. They have been highly evaluated as art works simply more than design works. 
Some of his most important works are displayed as a part of permanent collections in the world’s well-known museums such as Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, Centre National d’Art et de Culture Georges Pompidou, Victoria and Albert Museum, Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum and Vitra Design Museum. 

Awards

Mainichi Design Award, 2001
Cultural Affairs Section of Government of Japan, Encourage Prize, 2006
BVLGARI Brilliant Dreams Award, 2007
Good Design Award, 2007
Design Miami, Designer of the Year, 2007

Selected as one of “100 Japanese respected by the world” in Newsweek magazine of Japanese edition.