Personal History of Miharu Toriyama
Miharu was born in Saijo-city, Ehime.
At the age of 5, she got strongly drawn to the location featured in TV series, that was Paris.
At the age of 6, she was fascinated by ballet, but only got a chance to learn Nihon Buyo "classical Japanese dance".
At the age of 18, she became an accredited master of Fujima-ryu school of classical Japanese dance and was named "Yuka Fujima".
Miharu went to Kansai: west-central part of Japan
1987
Finally succeeded in persuading her mother to let her go to Osaka, she enrolled in a fashion college with the dream of becoming a designer.
1990
Joined “ketty”, Java Group, a leading apparel company based in Kobe, Japan.
-1999
Left “ketty” after working as a chief of the planning and pattern making section.
2000
Travelled alone through Europe.
-2002
Cultivated her sensitivity as a designer and haute couture skills while travelling between Europe and Japan.
2003
Started her own fashion brand “Michelle”.
2005
Designed the costumes of Seiichi Horio, food coordinator, for his TV appearances and magazine articles.
(1992-2005 While working as a fashion designer, Miharu learned Flamenco, belonged to a theatre company and also joined a talent agency.)
Miharu got back to Ehime
2006
Got back to Saijo-city, Ehime, letting go of everything due to her father's illness.
2007
Resumed making clothes as if guided by an invisible hand and designed wide-ranging dresses: tailor made dresses, party dresses, wedding dresses, and so on.
2008
Designed the costumes of Kimiko Wakiyama, professional whistler, for her concerts and for her appearances in TV shows including “Singing Nursery Rhymes” (NHK BS) and more.
Also designed various stage costumes for the projects such as “Noh + Contemporary Dance” and kept on creating dresses for a variety of events.
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Looking back on all the events and encounters she had experienced so far, Miharu made up her mind to create clothes to bring happiness to everyone, people around her and herself.
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2009
Held a fashion show of her brand “Michelle” at the art festival Bara-ala "Rose & Wings" 09 at Saijo-city Tanbara Cultural Centre, followed by four more fashion shows all of which had their own storylines.
Her shows were characterized by a fusion of East and West where Japanese Kimono meets Western-style Dresses and also by a unique perspective; she picked up the Nature, the Sun, the Moon and Water as the theme of her shows.
2010
Got married to Kazunari Abe, Shinobue "traditional Japanese bamboo flute" player.
2011
Gave birth to first son, Ryuta.
2012
With her three month old son, joined the Eastman production “Puz/zle” (choreography: Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui) first presented at Festival d'Avignon as a costume designer. Renamed her brand from “Michelle” to “Miharu Toriyama”.
Started to design stage costumes exclusively for Kazunari Abe.
2017
Joined Atoa. production “The Kojiki: Kuniumi” (literally means "Records of Ancient Matters: birth of the country" a legendary history of the emergence of the Japanese archipelago) as a stage costume designer. Designed the costumes of “Izanami no Mikoto” and “Izanagi no Mikoto”, the gods of the Japanese mythology.
Very much inspired by this experience, Miharu started to travel to Paris, a dream since her childhood, or Rome to buy fabrics.
2018
Designed a costume of Misa Kamemoto, Indian dancer, for her performance dedicated to Tenkawa Shrine.
Also designed "O Yama-gi" (Japanese style kimono for outdoor activities) of Ishizuchi Shrine.
2019
Held the beauty event “IVY With Makeup & Fashion Show” at Dogo Yamanote Hotel.
2020
Designed the costume of FC. Imabari mascot "Moony-chan" at the event to celebrate the commencement of "Top Partner Agreement" between Unicharm Corporation and FC. Imabari.
Created the original tale of gods "DAWNING." and joined the project to stage the story as a director and costume designer.
Started growing vegetables during the Covid-19 quarantine period and got energy from the nature and the soil while working in the field.
Again very much inspired by this experience, Miharu decided to hold exhibitions at her home Atelier.
Held “Miharu Toriyama 2020 AW Collection: Europe” Fashion Show and Exhibition at home Atelier and started creating original clothes.
2021-now
Miharu is creating original clothes from colorful fabrics that she bought during her travel around the world, which started from Paris, as she dreamed when she was 5 years old! Thrilled to imagine how her clothes will make You sparkle, Miharu never stops her creation just to make You feel beautiful.