About Koji Atelier << Home
 |
Koji Watanabe, President/Creative Director, Koji Atelier LTD. He graduated from Keio University and London College of Fashion.He studied fashion drawings at Grand de Chaumiere in Paris. Upon return to Japan, he established haute couture maison in1972. He serves his a wide range of customers of the members of the royal families, wives of diplomatic corps, politicians, business leaders and dignitaries, providing the wardrobe of ultimate beauty. He challenges to show his new creation in his collection held twice a year. |
| 1947 | Born as the second son to the Watanabe family, the owner of Ichibankan store, an upscale tailor, in Ginza, Tokyo. |
| 1969 | Upon graduation from Keio University, Tokyo, he left for Europe. After finishing the London College of Fashion, he served an apprenticeship at La Chasse, the traditional European dressmaker, and studied fashion drawing at the Institute of Grand de Chaumiere in Paris. |
| 1972 | Established a luxurious haute couture Koji Atelier at Ginza with Mr. Jean-Paul Dunand, the Givenchy Paris ex-worker. |
| 1983 | At the invitation of the Royal Collection, patronaged by the British Royal Family, he showed his designer garments at The London Mansion House. |
| 1984 | Appeared in the magazine, Paris Vogue, (December 1st edition), featured as a leading fashion designer in Ginza, Tokyo |
| 1985 | At the second invitation of the Royal Collection, he showed his designer garments at the Parliament House in Edinburgh, and appeared in the article of interview in the French Newspaper, Liberation. |
| 1989 |
Showed his designer garments at the Royal Collection in Edinburgh. His garments have been permanently displayed at the Royal Museum in Scotland. |
| 1991 | Under special patronage of the British Royal Family, his designer garments were presented to HRH Princess Ann at Buckingham Palace. He became the first Japanese fashion designer whose garment was commissioned and actually worn by the British Royal Family member who has the right to the succession to the throne. |
| 1996 10 | Appointed as Princess Yamato’s formal garment designer at the bi-millennium anniversary of Ise Shrine. |
| 1998 | Held a Fashion Show for the Chinese celebrities in Beijing. |
| November, 1999 | Held a Fashion Show for the Chinese celebrities for the second time in Beijing. |
| December, 2001 | Held his show at the Italian Ambassadorial residence. He became the first Japanese fashion designer selected to for such event. |
| April, 2004 | Held Exhibition of Fashion Drawings in Sumi Brush Ink at the Nippon Gallery, New York. |
| December, 2004 | Held a high class Fur Fashion Show in collaboration with Dominique Ouzilleau at the Canadian Embassy, Tokyo. |
| 2006 | Made appearance at a TV fashion program, “Oshare-Koubou,” on NHK. |
|
 |
|
