Fashion designer Kansai Yamamoto was born on February 8, 1944, in Gifu Prefecture. His daughter is actress Mirai Yamamoto, and Iseya Yusuke is his half-brother.

While helping his father, a tailor, friends began asking him to "alter their uniforms." This is how he began using a sewing machine in junior high school and set his sights on becoming a seamstress. He attended Gifu Prefectural Gifu Technical High School and then dropped out of the English Department of Nihon University's College of Letters and Sciences.

After studying under Junko Koshino and Hisashi Hosono, he won the Soen Award in 1967. In 1971, he became the first Japanese designer to hold a collection in London. His unique designs, which combine traditional Japanese clothing with contemporary fashion, have garnered worldwide attention. In 1973, he designed David Bowie's stage costumes. He also participated in the Paris Collection in 1974 and the New York Collection in 1979. Since 1993, he has been active as a producer of "Super Shows," a unique form of expression that transcends the boundaries of fashion. He has held events around the world, including in Russia, Vietnam, and India, and in Japan, he also produced the opening event for the 2005 World Expo 2005 Aichi, Japan. The events have attracted a total of over one million people. He also designed the new Keisei Skyliner train, which won the Good Design Award in 2010 and the Blue Ribbon Award in 2011. Last November, he held his first fashion show in 20 years in London, his hometown. Lady Gaga wore the new collection unveiled at the show, creating a buzz.