Konichiwa.
Yuriko is shaped by two cities, two tongues, two time zones, two cups of tea, Green & PG tips.
Ideas don’t arrive fully formed. She shapes them through context, culture, and intent.
From: Born in Tokyo, raised in Kanagawa, Japan
Love : Seeing and doing Art, vintage & antique finds, and spotting bench plaques
Love and Hate: Playing chess (so stressful)
Hate: MarmiteSome people called me “the little book girl” at W+K Tokyo.
because of the risky application I sent.
Step1: Sent a big box measuring 100cm×100cm to apply for the job.
Step 2: The box had many cushioned pads stuffed inside. It contained my portfolio, which was a very “little book”. Along side it a magnifying glass.
Step 3: On the front cover of this “little book” a message was written ‘You have a good eye that you find my tiny work’.
Step 4: A receptionist received a box, and sent an email to the whole building, after nobody claimed it. ‘Hi, everyone. Mysterious package arrived, addressed with Wieden with only plastic bubble cushion things inside. Does this belong to anyone? Thank you.’
Step 5: Someone thought it was odd and when the box was checked amongst the plastic pads, there was a very “little book”. Approx 3cm×3cm in size. An email was sent out again within the building. ‘Hi guys, This was a Kennedy’s entry! Check it out :) Sooo neat!’
Then, W+K contacted me via a phone call and their opening line to me was, “Hello, is this the little book girl”.
I hoped that by challenging my fear, the little book might be found, and begin a story no one else could write.
Turns out, it did.
Working at W+K Tokyo with international talents opened something up in me, I just realised how big the world actually is.
That’s when I knew I needed to step outside of my comfort zone. So I came to London.
(Nobody warned me I’d be offered tea 6 times a day.)But I stayed. And I grew.
My works
ROYAL ASCOT - when craft becomes the world
A moment where concept and typography hold hands, and detail sets the tone.
2. Women’s Rugby - when message finds its rhythm.
Building tone, continuity, and emotional pacing across content.
3. SVNS - creating a visual world the moment you tune in
An immersive identity designed to pull you into the atmosphere instantly.
ROYAL ASCOTContributing from idea to execution.
For two consecutive years, “The Ascot You” campaign has reminded audiences that everyone has an inner elegance, one that comes alive at the world-renowned Ascot Racecourse.
I joined the project from the pitch stage, helping to shape the core creative idea that ultimately won us the client. From there, I transitioned into the designer role, where I could fully focus on translating the concept into a compelling visual world.
It was a rare opportunity to stay with the work from idea to execution to think with the team, and then make with my hands.
THERE’S YOU YOU,
THEN THERE’S THE ASCOT YOU. This project began long before a single line was drawn.
Our first visual approach stayed within the traditional brand guidelines. Still, we pushed the edges, injecting modern energy and fashion-forward confidence into a world known for restraint.
It was a careful process between tradition and transformation. The layouts, typography, and palette were crafted to feel timeless, yet unexpected.Pitch
2023
The second yearWhen an idea wears its finest form.
For the 2024 edition, I focused on pushing the visual language to its most refined extreme, especially through a custom typeface I designed specifically for the campaign.
The colour took cues from luxurious fabrics, and the layouts echoed the confidence of fashion editorials. The typeface captured the campaign’s sense of glamour and transformation: exaggerated, confident, and elegant. Every element, from the curves of the letters to the surrounding negative space was crafted to feel entirely at home in a world where elegance isn’t optional, it’s expected.
This marked the first time we went beyond Royal Ascot’s formal brand guidelines. It was a shift that came not from rebellion, but from trust, earned through months of client discussions and careful iteration.
We did it, and it worth it.
Women’s Rugby
Seeing branding as a framework for continuity and rhythm, something that supports how messages and content grows, and stays coherent over time.
WORLD RUGBYNot a version,
A new standard.
It’s rugby.
What does it mean to design a world where women’s sport isn’t the exception, but simply sport?How do we build a path grounded in continuity and confidence? And what does it mean to shape a future where this space grows wide open, and stays open?
When World Rugby asked us to create a refreshed brand ahead of the biggest ever Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2025, I didn’t see it as just a rebrand. It felt like a cultural shift. We worked with World Rugby to reshape how women’s rugby shows up in the world, not as a version of something else, but as a powerful force in its own right.
The new brand had to feel unapologetically confident, stylish, and bold, like the women who play the game. Not a copy. Not a comparison. Just the new standard.
The journey.
It wasn't a smooth journey. The brand name changed. The key sponsor changed twice. Reworked colour palettes, type, applications. Then we reworked them again. Momentum came and went. Directions shifted. So did the brief.
At one point, I said: “I need Mr. Motivator to sit next to me while I update this.” (It ended up being nominated for ‘quote of the year’ at the company!) But still, we stayed with the idea. We held the line on what mattered.
And in the end, it paid off. Here is the final output.
She holds the ball, and carries the game into the future.
The new identity connects the ‘W’ and ‘O’ to form a symbol of a woman holding a rugby ball, powerfully showing that women don’t just belong in this game, at every level, they carry it forward with energy, and elegance.
This gesture became the core of the brand: a visual representation of leadership, motion, and pride. It reflects the belief that women aren’t stepping into a version of rugby, but defining the game on their own terms.
Font, colour, graphic device.
I leaned into a rich teal palette paired with energetic pink accents, a combination that feels both bold and elegant. For typography, I used Laviossa, a typeface that balances softness and strength. Its graceful curves and refined structure reflect the unapologetic elegance of the women’s game.By extracting and enlarging parts of the logo, we created dynamic graphic patterns that capture the energy and movement of the women’s game, almost like the rhythm of a match frozen mid-motion.
The answer, in motion.
Together, these elements became more than a brand, they became a quiet answer to a loud question: What if women’s sport wasn’t the exception, but simply sport?The identity carries that answer with grace and power. It moves with the rhythm of change, grounded in confidence and built to last, so that this space not only opens, but stays wide open.
SVNS RUGBY
My work focuses on creating immersive entry points,
the moment you tune in,
visuals that spark curiosity and invite you into a world,
rather than sell an idea.
SVNS Rugby is a global rugby competition that follows the sun, moving from city to city around the world.
Rather than presenting it as just a sports event, we designed it as a destination, where rugby, local culture, and travel energy collide.
Through bold illustration, we built a visual world that makes each stop feel unique, while staying part of one continuous global journey.
An invitation, not an announcement.
For the “Destination: SVNS” campaign, I wanted to bring a fresh, unexpected lens to the world of rugby, something vibrant, inclusive, and graphically bold. I created a series of playful illustrations that leaned into the wild, festival-like energy of the events: palm trees clashing with rugby ball, ramen after watching game, and rugby player in dancing beach-side.
Colour played a huge role, we ditched the muddy tones of traditional sports branding for a palette that screamed “vacation mode.” Everything was designed to make rugby feel like a summer you didn’t want to miss, even if you’d never watched a match before.
A few more from the journey so far, small steps, bold questions.
