Bunka Fashion College
Bunka Fashion College (文化服装学院; bunka fukuso gakuin) is a prestigious Japanese college specialized for teaching of fashion designs in Shinjuku, Tokyo. It is known for strict curriculum and heavy workload. It has over 70 branches all over Japan and has exchange programs with Central Saint Martins in London and Parsons in New York.
The college was founded in 1919 by Isaburo Namiki as a small dressmaking school for girls, called Namiki Dressmaking School, at a time western-style clothes for women were still considered modern and were available only for affluent families. In 1936, the name of the school became Bunka Fashion College, and the school began publishing So-en, Japan's first fashion magazine.
In a 2007 fashion show, students created designs worth 1.2 million dollars by sewing 1500 Austrian gold coins (on loan to the school) to create a gown and two jackets. The dress weighed 22 pounds and the jackets weighed 46 total. [1]
The college has produced a number of prominent fashion designers working internationally, among which are Kenzo Takada and Yohji Yamamoto.
Famous alumni include (fashion designers unless otherwise stated):
- Chie Koike
- Tokio Kumagai
- Kenzo Takada
- Keita Maruyama
- Tetsuya Miwa (from the band Spitz)
- Nigo
- Naomi Nishida (actress)
- Hiroaki Ohya
- Jun Takahashi
- Limi Yamamoto
- Yohji Yamamoto
- Limi Yamamoto
- Junko Koshino
- Hiroko Koshino
- Tsumori Chisato
External links
Tokyo Design School Creates Million Dollar Outfit
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