Junya Watanabe is a Japanese fashion designer and protégé of Rei Kawakubo who has become one of the most technically innovative designers working today. His collections are masterclasses in fabric manipulation and garment construction, regularly featuring groundbreaking techniques that push the boundaries of what clothing can be. Working within the Comme des Garçons organization, Watanabe shows at Paris Fashion Week, where his men’s and women’s collections are studied and admired by designers worldwide. His patchwork techniques and collaborative approach have influenced a generation of designers.