Haruki Higashi

Haruki was born in Kumamoto, Japan, in 1978. In 2004, he founded the design company, LOWORKS INC. The interactive content he has produced to promote his own illustrations has received numerous awards at home and abroad, including from the Japan Media Arts Festival. Following his initial success, he started doing creative work for prominent clients abroad, including Nike, WWF, Marlboro, and McDonald's, and for the TV anime, Space Shower. He has also provided unique website design for artists, both major and independent, such as Kaela Kimura and HIFANA. Throughout his career, he has been active as an art director, an illustrator, a graphic designer, and as a designer for interactive media.

At the same time, Haruki has continued to pursue his own creative projects and activities. In 2004, he worked with the French studio, Elshopo, to develop a silk screen machine. It is sold made-to-order at art museums and other cultural spaces. In 2008, he worked as the supervisor on the "CAFE + SPACE BEYOND PROJECT," designing the graphics for the exterior walls, as well as the shop logo and the signs inside. His iPhone case design, with more than 5,000 sold through select stores, and the popularity of his collaborations with well-known apparel brands, "BARNEYS NEWYORK" and "And A," have also brought attention to his work.

In 2018, Haruki launched Howlt, his own brand, which focuses on creating immersive art and design experiences. He went on to hold his solo exhibition, "Howlt Coffee," at UltraSuperNew Gallery in Harajuku, where he reflected on Tokyo's coffeehouse culture through design and typography. The following year, in 2019, he opened his own coffee shop, Howlt Coffee, in Fukuoka, Japan, as well as an online store of playful and unique products. Also in 2019, Haruki was placed in charge of the artwork for the first anniversary and Christmas advertisement of MarkIs, a large commercial facility in Fukuoka, for two consecutive months. In 2021, he was in charge of artwork for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games athlete trading card and NFT art production project by Adidas.