Hirooka Naoto
 | |
| Associated Brand(s) | H. NAOTO, T-Kuinitomo |
|---|---|
| Website | website |
Hirooka Naoto () is best known as the designer/founder of h.NAOTO.[1]
Life and Career
Hirooka Naoto decided that he wanted to be a fashion designer when he was a first year student at a vocational high school. He liked art through out elementary and middle school, but didn't like to study, and his middle school teacher had suggested he go to a vocational high school.[1] Around this time, there was a trend of some men wearing more feminine clothing items, and for the first time he found himself interested in fashion.[1] This led to him selecting apparel as his major at the vocational high school.[1] After he graduated high school, he attended Bunka Fashion College in Tokyo.[1]
In an interview in Jabberwocky, the editor of Kera, Mariko Suzuki, reminisced that in 1998 when she launched Kera she met Hirooka Naoto who was working part time for T-Kuinitomo while he was in school.[1] After graduating, he joined S-inc Co. Ltd in the sales department.[2] A senior in the sales department lent him a sewing machine and told him "Hirooka, you should make your own clothes".[1] This led to the launch of H.Naoto.[1] He invited Mariko Suzuki to his first fashion show, and this started the relationship between h.NAOTO and Kera. [1]
Through collaboration with Kera he designed for Ryutaro Arimura of Plastic Tree and Amy of Evanescence. [1] He also has designed for Ayabie[3], Psycho le Cému, Gackt, S.K.I.N., and Marbell.[4] In 2017, he was actively doing stage costuming for Yoshiki of X-Japan and Hyde from L'arc~en~Ciel.[1]
Brands, etc
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Influence/Legacy
Footnotes
External links
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- [1] – an external link without a label
