Coming from Fukushima, Japan, Junya Watanabe has carved out a distinctive career as a pioneering fashion designer under the mentorship of legendary Comme des Garçons founder Rei Kawakubo.
After graduating from Bunka Fashion College in 1984, Watanabe joined the Comme des Garçons team, quickly rising through the ranks to become the chief designer of the brand’s Tricot knitwear line and later the Comme Des Garçons Homme line.
In 1992, Junya Watanabe launched his first namesake womenswear collection under the Comme des Garçons umbrella, which debuted at Tokyo Fashion Week before expanding to Paris Fashion Week the following year.
While maintaining his close ties to Comme des Garçons, Watanabe has also cultivated a diverse range of high-profile collaborations with renowed brands like Converse, Levi’s, Carhartt, or The North Face, reaffirming his status as one of the most influential and visionary designers in the industry.
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