Auralee

From  Tokyo, Japan
Founded in 2015

Ryota Iwai is founder and designer of Tokyo-based clothier and atelier, Auralee. A native of Kobe in the Hyogo prefecture, Iwai moved to Tokyo straight after university to work in fashion editorial at So-En magazine while studying at prestigious Bunka Fashion College.

His studies in garment design led him to a position with a Japanese label specializing in jersey and knitwear, where his skills were honed into expertise. In 2015, his own atelier took shape under the name Auralee. Iwai focuses heavily on research and development of raw materials and textiles from specialized sources around the world. This ethos of essentially starting from scratch each season gives his collections an inherent quality that is uniquely Auralee. Production remains entirely within Japan, through the parent company of the brand. "Utilizing the personality of the material, reflecting the mood of the times, We propose fine and refined clothes."