Cabane de Zucca

ZUCCA and CABANE DE ZUCCA

Akira Onozuka launched the ZUCCA collection with his Paris debut in 1988, after having worked as a designer for Issey Miyake for 15 years. Onozuka treats his design process as an experiment in a three-dimensional art form, with functionality one among several goals. He finds his inspirations from things he sees and feels through his travels, books and art. What he most cherishes in the creation of his collection is the process itself, and the development and evolution that come along with it. Onozuka likens making a collection to having a small organic farm, where one has to oversee every harvest with care and attention to detail.

In 2003, Zucca Design Office celebrated their independence from the (Issey) Miyake Design Studio. Onozuka cherishes his years of working under the Issey Miyake umbrella. He views the new stage in his work as a new beginning.

Onozuka is a recipient of the Mainichi Fashion Grand Prize an award given annually by Mainichi Newspaper, one of Japan’s major newspaper and magazine publishers.

CABANE DE ZUCCA Wristwatch Series

Launched in 1995, this collaboration with the Seiko Watch Corporation has been a huge success from its inception. Initially Seiko approached Onozuka with the anticipation of simply designing the face of the watch. Instead they were presented with a total design concept. Inspired by everyday objects, such as candy, products from the drugs store such as packaging of toothbrushes, bandages, or sporting goods, Onozuka associates the watch collection as an enjoyable outlet of designing, and likens it to designing accessories or a ‘good-luck charm”. New concepts are introduced 3-4 times a year.

In addition to the Paris flagship, ZUCCA currently has 2 direct shops in Tokyo, 1 in Hong Kong with 71 selling points in Japan, 43 selling points in the US and Europe, and 12 selling points in Asia.