TOKYO, Apr 30 (NHK) - The fashion designer Katsura Yumi, who was known for bringing bridal fashion to Japan, has died. She was 94 years old.
Katsura was born in Tokyo. After graduating from a university, she went to France to study fashion and design.
On her official website, it says that she opened Japan's first exclusive store for wedding gowns in 1965 in Tokyo's Akasaka. Katsura held the country's first bridal show.
With stylish designs that brought out the beauty of the wearer, Katsura greatly influenced the way weddings were held in the country at a time when Japanese brides typically did not wear wedding dresses.
Katsura held shows in more than 30 fashion hubs around the world, including New York and Paris, from the 1980s onward. During that time, she made her mark as Japan's leading designer.
She was also known for designing the formal vestment that Pope John Paul II wore at Easter mass in 1993.
Katsura put on a show in Tokyo just last month. She displayed about 70 new items and pursued her passion to the end.
