Yumi Katsura

Yumi Katsura is one of the most celebrated names in couture bridal. Founded in Tokyo in 1964 by designer Yumi Katsura, the house built a reputation for the precision of Japanese craftsmanship applied to Western bridal silhouettes, resulting in gowns recognized for their architectural structure, intricate embellishment, and a distinctly editorial modernity. Yumi Katsura was the first Japanese designer to present a bridal collection in New York and remains one of the few houses to operate with genuine couture-level construction at its core.

The collection is known for its signature elements: hand-applied pearl and crystal work, structured corsetry, sculptural basque and dropped waistlines, and a confident use of lace that reads as both traditional and decidedly contemporary. Yumi Katsura gowns have dressed royalty, heads of state, and brides across more than thirty countries, and the house maintains one of the most recognized bridal names in Asia, Europe, and North America.

Yumi Katsura passed in 2024, leaving behind one of the most enduring design legacies in modern bridal. The house continues under leadership committed to her vision, preserving the design language, atelier standards, and couture traditions she established across six decades. In North America, the collection is led by Creative Director Paulette Cleghorn, who has held the role for more than a decade and continues to design under the standards and aesthetic Yumi Katsura established. The international creative direction is held by a trio of senior designers — Ayako Fujiwara, Yukinori Morinaga, and Keiko Iino — each with more than thirty years of experience working closely with the founder.

Ellie Belle is the Minnesota boutique for Yumi Katsura, available by private appointment in our Eden Prairie atelier. Every appointment is guided by a dedicated stylist, with the collection presented and styled to the bride.