Jun Ashida, a fashion designer who has long led Japan's fashion scene and once served as personal designer for the then crown princess, died of pneumonia at his home in Tokyo on Saturday. He was 88.
Born in Jeollabuk-do on the Korean Peninsula in 1930, Ashida studied fashion under the popular artist and founder of magazine "Soleil" Junichi Nakahara after World War II.
In 1960, Ashida became a consulting designer for department store chain operator Takashimaya Co. and established the predecessor of fashion company Jun Ashida Co. in 1963.
For 10 years from 1966, Ashida was the personal designer of the then crown princess.
He was a leader in the high-end ready-to-wear fashion category in Japan, and also designed uniforms for companies including All Nippon Airways as well as the official uniforms of the Japanese delegates at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Ashida was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, in 2006 and made an Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters of France in 2010.
In autumn 2013, Ashida commemorated the 50th anniversary of the founding of his company and stepped down as president.
His second daughter, Tae Ashida, is also a designer.
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