Tomoaki Okaniwa was born in the Nagano Prefecture in 1963. He graduated from Tokyo Zoukei University, Department of Fine arts majoring in Painting and moved from the canvas to a desire for expression through garments to establish Caterpillar Produit in 1987. Tomoaki’s early developmental women’s wear was central to the collection and he made a runway show in underground scene in Tokyo. The catalyst for the establishment of The-Viridi-anne in 2001 was led by the desire of making cloths for himself.