Fumie Shibata

Fumia Shibata (1965–) is a Japanese designer and the founder of the design agency Design Studio S, based in Tokyo’s Roppongi district. Originally from Yamanashi Prefecture and educated at Musashino Art University, Fumie Shibata worked for several years in the design offices of the multinational company Toshiba before setting out on her own and working across a wide range of fields, from household electronics to medical devices. Closely connected to the traditional values of simplicity and balance that have long characterized Japanese design, she gained international recognition especially from the 2020s onward thanks to her first collaborations with European furniture brands. Notable examples include lighting designs for the Czech brand Brokis and the Danish company Fritz Hansen, as well as a successful seating collection for the Italian brand Flexform. In 2011 she received the Mainichi Design Prize, one of Japan’s highest honors in design.