brother --

Born in Tokyo in 1943. After graduating from Keio Gijuku University in 1966 as a law major, he enrolled at the Bunkafukuso Gakuin, school of fashion, Tokyo.

In 1972, he established Y´s, Inc. and launched his own brand. In 1977, he presented his designs at the Tokyo Collections for the first time. 1981 marked his first participation at the Paris Collections. The silhouettes produced from use of monochrome tones sent shock waves in France where "black" was not yet recognized at the time. Backed up with sure sewing technique, his innovative designs won the 26th FEC (Fashion Editors´ Club) Award in 1982.

Since then he has constantly sent his works to the Paris Collections, and put forward avant-garde designs, based on black, his trademark color. By introducing his Japanese aesthetic to the Western fashion world, Yamamoto gave a new code to the context of fashion, and made his appeal to the whole world. In 1984, he established Yohji Yamamoto, Inc. With ambitious works, he has stabilized his position in the fashion world.

In 1989, Wim Wenders made a portrait of Yamomoto in Notebook on Cities and Clothes. The following year he tries under took the costume design for Opera de Lyon´s production of Puccini´s Madame Butterfly. In 1993, Yamamoto designed the costumes for Wagner´s opera Tristan and Isolde, which was performed in Bayreuth. In 1994, he was awarded the'Chevalier de l´Ordre des Arts et Lettres´ from the French Ministry of Culture. In 1997 he was awarded the 'Night of Stars' award,and recognized as a master of design by the New York Fashion Group. In 1998, he garnered a number of awards, including the 'Arte e Moda' from Pitti Immagine, Florence.

Overthrowing conventional concepts in fashion, Yamamoto continues to charm many top designers, including Giorgio Armani. At the same time, he has played an active role in the music scene. In 1988, with Yukihiro Takahashi (ex-Yellow Magic Orchestra,) he cut the album, Takahashi Yukihiro X Yamamoto Yohji Le Pence. In 1990, after releasing the album Confess: Hanzaisha no Aribai, he held his first solo concert, and since then has giver numerous concerts. He continues to be active in various areas.

DISCOGRAPHY
Soundtrack album		Solo Album
1984	NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF THE WINDS, W NO HIGEKI	1982	INFORMATION
1986	ARION, LAPUTA	1985	α-BET-CITY
1988	MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO	1986	CURVED MUSIC
1989	KIKI´S DELIVERY SERVICE	1988	PIANO STORIES, ILLUSION
1991	KOJIKA MONOGATARI, FUTARI, A SCENE AT THE SEA	1989	PRETENDER
1992	SEISHUN DENDEKE DEKE DEKE, KURENAI NO BUTA, HARUKA NOSTALGY	1991	I am
1993	SONATINE, MIZU NO TABIBITO; SAMURAI KIDS	1992	My Lost City
1996	KIDS RETURN, PARASITE EVE, PRINCESS MONONOKE	1994	CHIJO NO RAKUEN
1997	HANA-BI, SHIGURE NO KI	1995	MELODY Blvd.
1998	KIKUJIRO	1996	PIANO STORIES II
		1997	WORKS I
		1998	NOSTALGIA-PIANO STORIES III-
		1999	WORKS II

Personal Profile
1977	Presents first collection in Tokyo
1981	Presents first collection in Paris
1982	Receives the 26th Fashion Editors Club (FEC) Award, Tokyo
1986	Receives the 4th Mainichi Fashion Award, Tokyo
1989	Wim Wenders´ film portrait of Yohji Yamamoto "Notebook on Cities and Clothes"
1990	Designs costumes for the Opera de Lyon production of Puccini´s "Madame Butterfly"
1991	Receives the 35th Fashion Editors Club (FEC) Award, Tokyo
1993	Designs costumes for the Wagner Opera "Tristan and Isolde" In Bayreuth
1994	Receives the "Chevalier de l´Ordre des Arts et Lettres" Nomination from the French Ministry of Culture
1994	Receives the 12th Mainichi Fashion Award, Tokyo
1994	Designs costumes for the Kanagawa Art Festival Opera "Susanoo"
1996	Presents first perfume [YOHJI]
1997	Receives the 40th Fashion Editors Club (FEC) Designer´s Award, Tokyo
1997	Receives the Night of Stars Award from Fashion Group, New York
1998	Receives the Award "Arte e Moda" given by Pitti Immagine, Florence
1998	Participates in the 25th Anniversary of the Pina Bausch Company, Wuppertal
1999	Receives the 18th Annual Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Awards´ "International Award", New York

			Hisaishi began his career as a composer of minimal music during his student days at the Kunitachi Conservatory of Music. After graduation, in 1982, he cut his first solo album, Information. He established his style of not confining his music to any definite style. His association with film began in 1984 with Hayao Miyazaki´s Nausicaa of the Valley of Winds. Since then he has written scores for all of Miyazaki´s films, including My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki´s Delvery Service. His scores for Miyazaki´s Princess Mononoke earned him his fourth Best Music Award from the Japan Academy and other prominent awards. While releasing his solo albums, Works – I and Nostalgia, he has been active in live performance both in Japan and overseas in various styles: as a piano solo, with an ensemble or a symphonic concert with an orchestra, and has attracted wide variety of audiences. Hisaishi´s collaboration with Kitano dates back to 1991. Beginning with A Scene at the Sea, he has provided music for Sonatine, Kids Return, Hana – bi and Kikujiro, and Brother will be his sixth film working with Kitano. Being one with full understanding of Kitano´s films, the scores he writes have become indispensable to Kitano´s cinematic world.