Until opening his business in 1971, Yamamoto studied structural engineering and English at Nippon University and graduated from Bunka College of Fashion in 1967, which also includes alumni including Jun Takahashi, Yohji Yamamoto, NIGO and Junya Watanabe.
The avant-garde collections of Kamamoto were renowned in international fashion circles, but his most famous work was probably his costume designs for David Bowie, for whom he made many of the iconic outfits worn during the Ziggy Stardust era of the musician.
“Some sort of chemical reaction took place: My clothes became part of David, his songs and his music,” Yamamoto said. “They became part of the message he delivered to the world.”
In recent years, the presence of Yamamoto has been clear, influencing a Rick Owens FW20 line, and continuing to make stand-out appearances at industry events, including his red fire truck suit as seen above in the Louis Vuitton Resort 2018 show in Japan.
