Bridal fashion designer Yumi Katsura was born in Tokyo on April 24, 1932. Her mother worked as a dressmaker, which sparked her interest in clothing design from an early age. After graduating from Kyoritsu Women's University's Department of Clothing, she studied abroad in Paris. In 1964, when kimonos were the norm for wedding attire, she opened Japan's first comprehensive bridal specialty store and was one of the first to propose Western wedding styles. The following year, she held Japan's first bridal fashion show. In 1968, she launched Japan's first bridal magazine, and in 1969, she founded the All Japan Bridal Association, which trains bridal producers and other professionals. In 1999, she became the first Asian to become a full member of the Italian Fashion Association. Since 2003, she has held annual haute couture collections in Paris. In 2005, she opened a shop in Paris.

Katsura's wedding dresses, which incorporate "unique ideas" in addition to Japanese traditions and culture, always attract attention, and many celebrities, including Ichikawa Ebizo and Kobayashi Mao, have worn dresses and tailcoats designed by Katsura to their wedding ceremonies.

At the "THE World's Best Exhibition - Japan's Mastery of Manufacturing" currently being held at the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation in Tokyo, a dress made from the "world's thinnest silk" is on display until May 6th, and her first documentary film about her life, "Mother of the Bride," is scheduled to be released on May 31st.