Who is Tokujin Yoshioka, Designer and Master of Glass?

Throughout his career, Tokujin Yoshioka has devoted himself to creating works which show the energy of nature. Inspired by light, he uses glass and crystal as his preferred materials.

This Japanese designer, who has won over a dozen prizes in design (the most recent being the Milano Design Award 2017) is a disciple of Issey Miyake. He cut his teeth working for big international brands like Cartier, Hermès, Swarovski and Louis Vuitton. The latter has just paid homage to him by including another of his creations, the Blossom Vase, in his prestigious collection of Objets Nomades.

This vase, blown in Italy and inspired by the Louis Vuitton monogram, is one of the smallest glass objects created by Tokujin Yoshioka, who often works on a larger scale. This can be seen in his first Water Block (a glass bench on display at the Musée d’Orsay), Transparent Japanese House or Chair that Disappears in the Rain (2003).

In 2015, his Glass Tea House – KOU–AN, found in Tokyo, has enjoyed international success. Meanwhile, Tokujin Yoshioka has been branching out from glass through various projects: these past few years, he notably recreated an artificial tornado using thousands of straws and reinvented his first Water Block, this time in golden brass.