Designer
Chie Imai, lead designer of the luxury fashion brand CHIE IMAI, leveraged her experience as an airline cabin attendant to establish her own trading company in the 1970s—a time when women's advancement in Japanese society remained challenging—thus demonstrating new possibilities for Japanese women. Through her work, she has consistently strived to empower women to participate in society by their own volition and pursue their dreams. Her pioneering efforts have inspired countless women across Japan and she is widely recognized as a role model supporting women's advancement and success in society.
Imai founded the trading company Reina Co., Ltd. in 1977. The following year, she launched Royal Fur, a brand centered on fur and leather creations distinguished by original sensibility and exceptional craftsmanship. In 1991, after launching Royal Chie, a brand appointed as a purveyor to the Imperial Household, she partnered with a Finnish company. She then unveiled the brand icon "Mosaic de Chie," incorporating her originality into the pieces, creating a sensation in the industry.
In 1999, she became the first Asian designer to participate in the fur collection at New York Fashion Week alongside European and American brands such as Valentino and Saint Laurent. The beauty and innovation of her work earned high acclaim not only in Japan but also in the United States and countries around the world, establishing her global reputation.
Chie Imai's diverse and creative endeavors have been recognized with numerous international awards. In 2002, Imai received the 5th World Women's Entrepreneurship Award in Paris, becoming the first fashion designer to receive this honor following Dana Carran, Sonia Rykiel, and Hanako Mori. In 2014, she was recognized for her contributions to promoting friendly relations between the Republic of Finland and Japan, becoming the first Japanese woman to receive the Commander of the Order of the Lion of Finland, the highest civilian honor awarded by the Republic of Finland.
Since 2003, Imai has continued to support the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, which assists individuals living with spinal cord injuries and paralysis, alongside Hollywood actors such as Christopher Reeve (who passed away in 2004) and Meryl Streep, both of whom were forced into a life of paralysis due to spinal injuries sustained in horseback riding accidents.
Even today, Chie Imai remains not only a designer engaged in creative work, but also a driving force behind social initiatives and women's empowerment as Chairwoman of the CHIE IMAI Group, guided by her own convictions. Her journey is consistently filled with new challenges and hope, continuing to inspire not only women but people everywhere.
