Last April, I photographed upcoming Japanese designer Shouhei Kato quite close to Bunka Fashion College, where he’s studying. Recently he held a small exhibition for his brand HEIHEI. I was unable to visit, but he has kindly allowed JAPANESE STREETS to publish the photographs of his psychedelic creations that photographer Yabuki shot with Hirari Ikeda as model.

Kato spent much of his upbringing in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture. “I wanted to become a stylist in junior high school,” he says, “but I used to remake clothes and really enjoyed that so after entering senior high school I decided to become a designer.” He moved to Tokyo and took night courses at Bunka Fashion College for three years, before starting the Design Major course this April. After graduating next year, Kato aims to build up his brand HEIHEI.

Although his recent design seem to have been influenced by 60s psychedelic artwork, he explains that this was not done consciously. “I like colorful design, so perhaps this happened naturally,” he says. The era does attract him. “I used to like vintage European fashion from the 1920s and 1930s,” he says, “but recently I am more into the 60s and 80s. The colors are brighter.”

All these items are for sale on Shouhei Kato’s official site. For orders, contact Kato through the contact page on his site.

Designer Shouhei Kato with Hirari Ikeda

• All photos copyright by Yabuki