Satoshi Sekimoto is a recipient of the “Meilleur Ouvrier de France” (Best Craftsman of France) award in Haute Couture Embroidery. He plays with volumes and light to create exceptional pieces.
It all begins with the birth of twin brothers in Hiroshima, Japan. Their mother is a kimono seamstress. She collaborates with many artisans with ancestral craftsmanship such as silk painters, jewelers, and obi makers. Both brothers have a passion for fashion. While his brother pursues celebrity makeup, Satoshi chooses fashion design and modeling. He then enrolls at the AIT School in Hiroshima, where he discovers embroidery.
At the age of 22, he travels to France to further refine his skills in Haute Couture embroidery. He studies at the prestigious and renowned Lesage School. Recognized for the quality of his work, he participates in the creation of a book called “Ecole Lesage chez vous” in 2006.
Satoshi works as an independent contractor. His main customers are a young fashion designer Claudine Ivari and Atelier Montex, embroidering for all the major names in Haute Couture. But he also sews for prestigious houses such as Alexander MacQueen and Givenchy. In 2013, the Chanel group acquires Montex and Satoshi leaves his freelance work to be hired by them.
At the same time, Satoshi enters the competition for “Un des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France” (One of the Best Craftsmen of France). This competition takes place only once every four years and requires two years of preparation. The jacket of the contest must be embroidered with the theme of the Indian Maharajas, Mughals, and Rajasthan. The production of this artwork on silk satin will require over seven hundred hours of embroidery. In 2015, at the Sorbonne and the Élysée Palace, he receives the prestigious title of “Meilleur Ouvrier de France in Haute Couture embroidery“.
Later on, he transitions from the Haute Couture section of Chanel‘s workshop to the MTX department. There, he works on a concept of architectural embroidery, exploring new materials and creative processes.
In 2021, Satoshi leaves Paris to settle in Provence. He is highly observant of nature. He draws inspiration from the hills of Marcel Pagnol to capture the beauty of the Southern light and the richness of the surrounding nature in his creations.
In 2022, he establishes the brand Maison Sekimoto with Laurent Sekimoto, his husband.
In 2023, Laurent highlights Satoshi’s experience to the Chamber of Crafts and Artisanship, leading Satoshi to obtain an additional title: Master Artisan in Artistic Craftsmanship.
The world of luxury demands excellence, elegance, and time. Satoshi always says that embroidery must have a soul: generous, radiant, and fun all at once.