Mineo Yamaguchi, president and designer of AYA Inc.
Since 2024, he bases his design philosophy on "The past stands before the future,"
drawing inspiration from Mies van der Rohe's Universal Space to create a
modern, genderless collection for reuse across generations.
His designs, influenced by his upbringing in a Japanese ghetto and
underground culture, express defiance against social injustices and modernise
vintage clothing with bold shapes.
In 2024, he collaborated with YAMAHA to design black, genderless uniforms,
breaking workwear taboos.