Jury

Born and raised in Japan, Ai Ito moved to London and to kick start her career. Before graduating with her bachelors in Graphic and Media design, Ito had an opportunity to work as a stylist in London, dreaming of running a full brand campaign for a global fashion brand. Prior to moving back to Japan, initially to work as a stylist. Ai quickly realised that being a stylist in Tokyo did not offer her the same creative freedom as it did in London. Combining her love for fashion and underground culture, Ito changed her career trajectory by becoming an Editor for a fashion and lifestyle magazine, once again finding the creative freedom that she was looking after. Ai Ito quickly became an expert in envisioning, and creative directing productions of both editorial and advertorial nature, serving brands like Channel, Levi’s, Louis Vuitton, and Nike among others while working in media such as commons&sense, i-D Japan and j-D Asia. Ito’s varied, unconventional, 15-years long career in the creative industry, recently lead her to being appointed as a creative for AKQA Japan, where she recently released her first of many brand campaigns for a global fashion brand.