Yuka Hasegawa was born in the historical city of Kyoto, Japan. From childhood, she was curious about aesthetics and was well-educated in many traditional ways, such as the art of Sado (tea ceremony), Kado (flower arrangement), Calligraphy and Japanese dance. When she was 18 years old, was nominated Miss Kimono Kyoto and the first prize included a visit to Paris, another inspirational opportunity.
After graduating Doshisha University, with a BFA, Yuka studied fine art at the School of Visual Arts Academy in Austria where she also studied under the famous graphic artist, Jan Voss. She satisfied her yearnings to bring more cultural qualities into her art and decided to move to New York City where she inished a BFA course in fashion design, via a scholarship, at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Yuka’s entree to the world of fashion was inspired by her art and the need to design something original and flattering for her own wardrobe. Yuka’s designs were immediately discovered and she received her first order from the famous French Artist Nikki de Saint Phalle. Now, Yuka’s clothing has the distinction of being displayed at the Nikki de Saint Phalle Museum in France
In addition, to her well-known and established art work, Yuka recently expanded her creative talents to hats and accessories and is rapidly gaining recognition in the couture world for her high fashion, wearable arts and accessories. Yuka displays her seasonal collection of women's hats at Barneys New York, Takashimaya, Isetan and selected retail Boutiques in New York, Beverly Hills and Japan and she also received a Milli Award for her outstanding millinery design
Further she has had extensive coverage in such prominent media as, The New York Times, Japanese Vogue, WWD and has celebrity client exposure with Britney Spears, Boy George and an article in Vanity Fair featuring Yuka’s hats worn by Scarlett Johansson photographed by Annie Liebowitz, among many others.
