Sueko Oshimoto

Sueko Oshimoto is a fashion stylist and a costume designer living and working in Los Angeles. She was born in Okinawa, Japan as youngest of the ten brothers. She was a studio model when she was teenager. She sometimes has worn a kimono for special occasion since she was young. But she didn't know how to wear a kimono at that time. If some foreigner asked her about a kimono, she didn't have exact answer. These experiences made her start to learn kimonos and total coordinate. Sueko Oshimoto is one of the most recognized kimono designer/ stylist of our time. With highly acclaimed work internationally, she is the owner and founder of the Suehiro Kimono Agency. She received her kimono stylist certification from Yamano Aiko the 1st, the founder of the Yamano-ryu Beauty School, in 1992. She worked as a professor at the Ryubi Beauty College, where she also started her own class of social arts, which included table coordination. She moved on to become the owner of an esthetic salon and worked as an esthetician. During this time she studied architecture, color coordination, flower arrangement, classical Japanese dance and received her certification in flower arrangement. Sueko Oshimoto's first big step in becoming an international artist came when she moved to the United States in 1999. In 2005 she became the Executive Director of the Yamano-ryu Kimono Dressing School California branch, and started teaching Kimono styling in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Twice a month, she went to Los Angeles from Las Vegas every single month by car and air. She now has 38 professional kimono stylists as her assistant and continues to promote traditional Japanese kimono styling in the United States. She has hosted various kimono lecture/fashion shows at several museums including the Japanese National Museum and LACMA. She also holds a position as a judge for the Kimono Styling Division of the National Art Festival held annually in Tokyo. Sueko Oshimoto also displays her creativity in kimono design as a stylist for various magazines such as Vogue. Her work can also be seen in movies in the design and styling of wardrobe and costumes. She was also a stylist for the VIP's of the Academy awards, The Grammy, and The Latin Grammy. Sueko Oshimoto also worked as a hair designer along side David Lachapel, a world famous photographer. In October 2011, she co-produced the "Grand Vista" in down town Los Angeles, where she designed, hand made and styled 20 kimono style costumes for dancers. Her line of works were spotlighted in Yahoo! USA and L.A. Fashion Week. With her creative boundaries constantly broadening, Sueko Oshimoto is one of the most respected kimono stylists/costume designer in the world of fashion and has became a member of Costume Designers Guild IATSE local 892. She is also the official national costume designer of Miss Universe Japan 2013.