Press Release

The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition (hereinafter referred to as “the Association”) is pleased to announce the winning design of the Venue Service Attendant Staff Uniform, one of the official staff uniforms for the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan (hereinafter referred to as “the Expo”) to be worn primarily by staff attending to guests, interpreting, and working at information centres, etc. The details of the award-winning design are below.

From Thursday, 18 May to Monday, 19 June 2023, the Association held a call for designs for uniforms to be worn by staff during the event, targeting those with clothing design experience. 513 designs (369 applicants in total) were submitted during the application period. A first screening session was held for those that met the formal requirements, and after a second screening session, including a presentation with a prototype of the selected design, and an investigation of copyright and design rights, the recipients of the Excellence Award (winning design) and Honourable Mention (runner up) were selected.

The Association is pleased to announce that the Excellence Award winning design has been selected for use as the uniform design for the Expo venue service attendant staff.

The uniforms to be worn by staff members at the Expo have been designed to be inclusive of all ages and genders. The uniforms prioritise diversity, heat protection, comfort, functionality, durability, environmentally friendly materials, and recyclability after the Expo.
The Association received advice from Ms KOSHINO Junko, Senior Advisor to Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, during this call for staff uniform designs.

　■ Winners
　　Excellence Award: HATTORI Mariko
　　Honourable Mention Award: MATSUI Haruna and MATSUI Miku

　■ Excellence Award Design Concept

　〇 The design evokes a bright future, fun, and hope. The unexpected silhouette　and　combination of different materials express diversity, creating a sense of excitement and experimental anticipation as conventional wisdom is changed. The folded balance of the design evokes the abundance of trees and the strength of life and expresses the importance of life and the power of living, in keeping with the theme of “life”.

　〇 The uniform represents a new style of uniform in which the items can be worn in any combination according to the weather and the wearer’s needs, creativity and personal preference. The achromatic colours of the innerwear are based on the SDGs colours, which can be recognised worldwide. Wearers will have the freedom to choose the colour they like. We hope that visitors will feel a sense of hope, fun, and excitement when they see the colourful uniforms.

　〇 The design has a clean, sleek look that will not look out of place when attending to various occasions. The new standard of gender-neutral clothing where men can wear long skirts gives us hope for new discoveries to come.　

　■ Comment from the winner of the Excellence Award
　　I am very happy and proud to have received such a prestigious award that allows me to fully utilise my thoughts and experience as a uniform designer. I can only thank all the people who have supported me.

　■ Uniform Design Review Committee Selection Committee Members (in alphabetical order)　
　　[Chairperson]
　　KOJIMA Mikinori (General Manager, Bunka Publishing Bureau, Educational Foundation Bunka Gakuen)
　　[Selection Committee Members]
　　HARA Hiroaki (Executive Vice President, SHIPS LTD.)
　　MATSUNAKA Gon (Founder & President, Certified NPO Good Aging Tells; Director & Advisor, NPO Pride House Tokyo)
　　OKUSA Naoko (Styling Director, HRM Co., Ltd.)

　■ Results of the judging (General comments)
　〇 Overall the submitted designs were made to appeal to a wide range of people regardless of gender or age differences, and were conscious of sustainability.
　〇 The finalists, both students and professionals, showed a great deal of potential for the future, with unique graphic prints and new ways of dressing.
　〇 The judges were concerned not only with originality and symbolic design but also with the comfort of the staff working outdoors.
　〇 The selected designs, are highly functional and have unique silhouettes making them suitable for the future, where people can choose their own colours, and where individuality is valued over status.

(Reference）
[Press Release]
Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, Call for Designs of Staff Uniforms Started
https://www.expo2025.or.jp/en/news/news-20230518-03/

(Enquiries)
Global Communication Department, Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition
Email: globalpr@expo2025.or.jp