In the constellation of Japanese designers redefining fashion’s boundaries, Tomo Koizumi is a beacon of exuberance and joy. While many of his contemporaries pursue minimalism, streetwear, or logomania, Koizumi embraces maximalism with conviction, transforming ruffles, colour, and volume into wearable emotion. His work is not merely clothing; it is architectural theatre — a celebration of scale, movement, and delight.

Born in Chiba Prefecture in 1988, Koizumi taught himself to sew at fourteen after being captivated by John Galliano’s work at Dior. While studying fine art, he established his eponymous brand in 2011 and gained international attention in 2019 when stylist Katie Grand championed his showroom-ready ruffled gowns via Instagram, culminating in a debut show at New York Fashion Week at the boutique of Marc Jacobs.

Koizumi’s aesthetic signature is unmistakable: layers upon layers of Japanese organza ruffles, balloon-like silhouettes, and vibrant colour palettes that defy convention. In his own words, “I dream of clothes with more and more volume.” His technique is rooted in hand-sewing and art-school sensibility; each piece is conceived as a wearable sculpture rather than a purely commercial product.

In a fashion landscape drawn to minimalism, subculture, and logomania, Koizumi’s maximalism is not mere excess but a statement: volume as empowerment, colour as joy, and handcraft as rebellion against homogenisation. For those attuned to couture’s original ethos — the handcrafted, the dramatic, the emotionally charged — his work beckons.

After a two-year hiatus, Koizumi returned for his Spring 2026 collection, reimagining wedding dressing with vibrant colour, generous volumes, and mix-and-match separates. The collection features voluminous skirts made from sixty to eighty metres of Japanese organza, upcycled kimono-derived bustiers, and accessories designed with a playful yet elegant sense of ceremony.

While the garments remain exuberant in scale and ruffles, this season introduces a sustainability overlay — including rental-style bridal wear — and a slower fashion rhythm: Koizumi now plans one collection per year. The fantasy remains — richly textured, colour-soaked, sculptural — but the framing is more considered, and the purpose more articulated.

Koizumi’s vision may seem whimsical — and indeed it is — yet the craft and strategy behind it are far more substantial than novelty. He eschews mass-retail logic in favour of art-object couture, positioning himself as a curator of wonder rather than a producer of trends. This duality — between spectacle and sustainability, decadence and discipline — defines him.