Kazuko Koike

Kazuko Koike (小池一子, Koike Kazuko; born 1936) is a creative director born in Tokyo. She graduated from the School of Arts, Letters and Sciences, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan. She is member of the Advisory Board for Muji^[1] (“Mujirushi Ryōhin”) since its founding and Professor Emeritus at Musashino Art University in Tokyo.

She is the founder^[2] and president^[3] of Kitchen Inc., an all-women studio that planned and produced design-related projects (since 1976).^[4] She is founder and president of Sagacho Exhibit Space, an alternative space for arts in Saga, Koto-ku, Tokyo (1983–2000).^[5] She is editor and author of books including Issey Miyake, East Meets West (Heibonsha, 1978); Kukan no Aura (Aura of Space) (Hakusuisha, 1993); Fashion: Fashion as a Form of Polyhedron (Musashino Art University Press, 2004); Japanese Coloring (Libro, 1981); and Japan Design (Libro, 1984). Major awards include the 1985 Mainichi Design Prize^[6] and the 1995 Japan Award for the Promotion of Art and Culture.^[7][8]

In September 2012, she curated the exhibition "Ikko Tanaka and Future/Past/East/West of Design" at 21_21 Design Sight in Tokyo.^[9]

In March 2022, her works will be displayed in an exhibition, "Alternative! Kazuko Koike Exhibition -- Soft-Power Movement of Art & Design".^[10]

Works

Editing/Writing Work

• The Heibon Weekly "Weekly Fashion", a magazine (1959) ^[10]

• Fashion News from Hanae Mori, a tabloid (1966)^[10]
• SO-EN, a magazine (1966-77)^[10]

Translation Work

• Through the Flower: My Struggle as a Woman Artist by Judy Chicago (1979, Parco Publishing)^[10]

• Eileen Gray: Architect/Designer (1991, Libro Port/2017, Misuzu Shobo)^[10]

Honours

• Juzo Itami Award (2022)
• Person of Cultural Merit (2022)^[11]