Kenji Ikeda Spring/Summer 2009 Campaign

One of the hottest new names in Japanese fashion is Osaka-based bag designer Kenji Ikeda. This charming young man left his native Japan at the age of 14 to live in Spain, the U.K. (where he got a degree in accessory design) and France, where he worked for Givenchy as a designer of leather goods.

Ikeda has been peddling his distinctive paneled leather designs at trade shows in Paris for several years, surviving on small orders from boutiques in Europe and North America. Now, he has finally won contracts with retailers in his homeland, most notably from Loveless in Aoyama and Shiseido's "select shop" chain The Ginza.

Ikeda's elegant designs are realized by highly skilled Japanese craftsmen who use only the most luxurious materials, and quickly have become a must-have status symbol among Tokyo's most fabulous denizens.

Browse: Kenji Ikeda handbags

Source: Japantimes