Yoshie Watanabe

Born in Yamaguchi Prefecture in 1961. Graduated from Yamaguchi University. In 1986 she joined the Satoru Miyata Design Office (now, DRAFT). In 2012 she established KIGI together with Ryosuke Uehara. Besides her graphic design work, Watanabe continues to serve as director of DRAFT’s “D-BROS” product brand. In 2013 she launched the “CACUMA” clothing brand together with Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shinbun (Hobonichi), an “almost-daily” newspaper published by Shigesato Itoi. In 2014 with Uehara she launched the “KIKOF” product brand – currently encompassing ceramics, furniture and cloth products – in partnership with artisans of traditional crafts based in Shiga Prefecture. As part of her design activities, she actively creates artworks and holds exhibitions. In 2015 Watanabe and Uehara opened OUR FAVOURITE SHOP, a shop & gallery in Tokyo’s Shirokane area that displays and sells products designed by KIGI.

Watanabe’s publications to date include “BROOCH” (text by Yayako Uchida), “JOURNEY” (poetry by Hiroshi Osada; jewelry by Etsuko Sonobe), “UN DEUX” (text by Naomi Takayama), “Only yours: Little Red Riding Hood, The Nutcracker, and Alice in Wonderland” (text by Takashi Ando), and two collections of KIGI’s works: “KIGI” and “KIGI_M” (publisher: Little More). Awards Watanabe has received to date include the Tokyo ADC Grand Prize, a D&AD Yellow Pencil (Gold Award), a Gold Pencil at One Show Design, and a New York ADC Gold Prize.