mina perhonen exquisite and poetic japanese textiles & clothes by designer akira minagawa, he trained at the famous Bunka Fashion College in Tokyo and launched his own label in 1995. In 2000 she opened his first fashion store in Tokyo. Three years later he changed the name of his label to minä perhonen, which means 'I, butterfly' in Finnish and has dual significance: it is a reference to Minagawa’s passion for Scandinavia and at the same time, symbolizes the freedom enjoyed by the butterfly in nature. Minagawa was awarded the prestigious Japanese Mainichi Fashion Grand Prix in 2006. He opened a second store, this time in Kyoto, in 2007. Minä perhonen is frequently cited as a trailblazer of the growing commitment to sustainability and craftsmanship in the international fashion world. Fashion houses are breaking away from the – almost sacrosanct – rule that designs last for only one season and then make way for something new. Minagawa’s designs last much longer because they are crafted around fine details in the fabrics, prints and embroidery which reappear in every new collection, more
