After graduating from the Faculty of Environmental Information of Keio University in 2007, Mariko Higaki joined Leading Edge Design, founded by design engineer Shunji Yamanaka, where she was involved in projects related to industrial design, exhibitions, and education. She later studied at the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California, completing their Product Design course in 2015, and has worked as an independent product designer since 2016. Higakil has received many awards and recognitions, including the IDSA Gold Award and the Pentawards Bronze Award, and was a Top 20  International Finalist for the James Dyson Award. She is based in Los Angeles. To see more of her work, visit: http://marikoproduct.com/