Born in 1966 in Nagano, Ryuichiro Shimazaki trained at Bunka Fashion College before beginning his career at MUJI. He launched his menswear line, Ryuichiro Shimazaki Homme, in 1997, quickly establishing himself as a key voice in late-1990s Japanese menswear with collections defined by dark palettes, precise tailoring, and raw-edged construction.

Blending cyberpunk, horror, and victorian influences, Shimazaki developed a signature balance between functionality and avant-garde form, producing garments that still feel eerily futuristic to this day.