Mari Azuma made her modeling debut in 1967 at the age of 17. She has worked in advertising, commercial films, fashion magazines, and as a show model. She gained 10 years of experience as a haute couture model from the age of 19. In 1977, she made her debut at the Paris Collection, appearing in shows for numerous designer brands such as Issey Miyake, Thierry Mugler, and Jean-Paul Gaultier, laying the foundation for Japanese models to enter the Paris Collection. Today, she continues to display her unique talents as a painter and lecturer beyond the framework of modeling, and her overwhelming presence is supported by many fans.

Masahiro, previously an exterior designer at Mazda, joined WHILL’s Design and Branding team in 2017 and is involved in all aspects of WHILL’s design. The company aims to develop wheelchairs that are functional and designed well, in response to the experience of countless wheelchair users who say they are hesitant to leave their homes due to inaccessible infrastructure or the psychological barriers of having to use a wheelchair in public. WHILL’s goal is to harness the power of design to break down these barriers so that wheelchair users can commute independently, conveniently and with confidence.