Junko Koshino was born in Osaka and is a graduate of Tokyo’s prestigious Bunka Fashion College. At the tender age of 19, Madame Junko’s precocious talent saw her win the renowned 7th SOEN Award, often considered a gateway to success for new fashion designers. Junko participated in Paris Fashion Week for the first time in 1978 and participated every year until 2000. She held fashion shows in Beijing in 1985, NYC (Metropolitan Museum) in 1990, Cuba in 1996, Poland in 1997, and Myanmar in 2009, among many others. In 2008 she produced the Japan Festival fashion show and the opening event at theJohn F. Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.

 

 

Madame Junko’s portfolio includes designing costumes for the operas like “The Magic Flute” performed by the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich (1991), “Madame Butterfly” at the Year of Japan-Republic of Korea National Exchange Event (2002), and “Pacific Overtures” on Broadway for which she was nominated for the Best Costume Design of a Musical at the 59th Tony Awards (2004).

 

She has also turned her considerable talents to designing sports uniforms, and at the personal request of the Myanmar government she designed that which was worn by their national team when they hosted the prestigious Southeast Asian Games. President U Thein Sein of Myanmar wished to ensure a high quality of design and fabric performance, whilst

collaborating with a designer who could pay credence to the country’s traditional culture. Further innovative projects of Madame Junko include exclusive interior design engagements, designing the costumes for DRUM TAO (a performance group incorporating art and music), and collaborating on the famous fireworks display for the “Ryukyu-Kaiensai” summer

festival in Okinawa.

 

 

ACCOLADES

• “Cavaliere dell ‘Ordine della Stella della Solidarieta’ Italiana” (2006）

• “Montblanc de la Culture Arts Patronage Award” (2009)

• “Medalla de la Amistad” from Republic of Cuba (2011)