The Great Wave-costume Design in Progress

As the title suggests, the costume production currently underway (as of October 2025) is for Scottish Opera’s upcoming production of The Great Wave. The premiere will take place in Glasgow in February 2026, followed by performances in Edinburgh.

This design plan has been deeply inspired by a message from composer Dai Fujikura, who shared his thoughts on the meaning and emotional landscape behind the work. Interestingly, although the story is based on Katsushika Hokusai, the costumes are not traditionally Japanese. At first, I thought the best approach would be to stay faithful to historical accuracy—but in a dramatic twist, we decided instead to create an imaginative, fictional world, something that director Satoshi Miyagi excels at.

As it happens, I’m much more comfortable designing for alternate, otherworldly dimensions than for historically accurate settings—actually, that’s what I’ve been doing for most of my career! So I’m thoroughly enjoying this opportunity to stretch my creative wings once again.

The costumes are being made by the talented costume department at Scottish Opera. This is my first time collaborating with a UK production team, and I’m very grateful for their enthusiasm and commitment to bringing my design vision to life.

Working with a designer for the first time always takes some time—especially to understand my design language, my preferences in materials, key silhouettes, and the kind of finish that reflects my aesthetic values. These elements gradually align through fittings and discussions.

Since I’m based in Hawai‘i, I can’t easily travel back and forth to Scotland, so we often hold video meetings while reviewing fitting photos and exchanging detailed notes by email. Still, I always feel most at ease when I can see the dressmeker’s faces and talk directly with them about the costumes.

In this December, I’ll be traveling to Scotland for the next round of fittings. I’m already looking forward to experiencing what Scotland feels like just before Christmas.

You can find more details about the production [here].