Fashion designer Itsuko Nakajima was born on November 2, 1951, in Oita Prefecture. She passed away on March 14, 1988. After graduating from Tokyo Designer Academy, she worked in clothing stores and other places. In 1975, she joined NICOLE, a brand founded by designer Mitsuhiro Matsuda. At the time, designers Yukio Kobayashi and Mariko Koga were also affiliated with the brand. In 1958, she became chief designer, and annual sales reached 30 billion yen. She was a driving force behind the DC brand boom, but she committed suicide by hanging herself at home on March 14, 1988. She was 36 years old. She was scheduled to hold a collection show in New York on April 11.