Junya Watanabe is a Japanese fashion designer known for his avant-garde and experimental designs. He began his career in fashion as an apprentice to legendary designer Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons, where he later became the chief designer of Tricot Comme des Garçons line. He launched his own brand under the Comme des Garçons umbrella in 1992 and quickly gained recognition for his unconventional and sculptural clothing designs that challenge traditional fashion conventions. Watanabe is known for his innovative use of materials, such as recycled fabrics, and for deconstructing and reconstructing traditional garments to create new, unexpected silhouettes. His designs often incorporate elements of punk, street style, and technological innovations, and he is widely regarded as one of the most influential fashion designers of the 21st century. Watanabe has won numerous awards throughout his career, including the Fashion Group International Award in 1995 and the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in France in 2008.