Born and raised in Japan, Miho Aoki moved to the United States at the age of 16 to attend boarding school, and eventually made her way to New York City, where she began building a career in fashion.
In 1997, Miho co-founded the independent fashion label United Bamboo. Rooted in New York's downtown art and culture scene, the label steadily grew a devoted following over the years, with pieces featured in Vogue and The New York Times, and collections carried in select stores across the United States, Japan, and Europe. The label also opened two flagship stores in Tokyo — one in Omotesando, and another in Daikanyama, designed by renowned artist Vito Acconci.
After nearly two decades in the New York fashion industry, Miho's perspective shifted when she became a mother. She grew increasingly aware of the toll the fashion system takes on the environment — the waste, the pollution, the relentless pace — and felt a strong pull toward something more intentional. In 2014, she relocated to the Island of Hawaii with her artist husband, Pier Fichefeux, and their two children.
Living on her farm in Holualoa, Miho encountered the Hawaiian concept of aloha aina — love of the land — and found in it a guiding principle for her creative life going forward.
OKOTOKOTO, named after her daughter Koto, was born from that transformation. It is an eco-conscious alternative to fast fashion: small-batch, island-inspired resort wear made from sustainable materials and locally sourced natural dyes. Every piece is hand-dyed and hand-sewn on the Island of Hawaii. Each garment is made to order, taking four to eight weeks — a unhurried pace that reflects a new relationship with making and with the earth.
As her children have grown and life has found a new rhythm, Miho has begun expanding her world once more. Since 2025, she has been dividing her time between Hawaii and Kyoto. The city's serene beauty and profound craft traditions resonate deeply with everything OKOTOKOTO stands for. From both places, she continues to explore what it means to make things slowly, thoughtfully, and with care.
