While interning at the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington D.C., Eriko made her first journey to Bangladesh, driven by a desire to rethink how economic change begins in developing countries. There, the quiet strength of local craftsmanship and the richness of natural materials moved her to pursue a bold mission: to build a world-class brand that uplifts artisans and the materials of their homeland at the source.

Eriko worked hand in hand with local artisans to create Motherhouse’s first collection of luxury handbags using locally sourced jute, a strong yet supple natural fiber native to Bangladesh. In just two months, all 160 bags sold out.

Motherhouse Co., Ltd. was registered as an official business on March 9, 2006.

Eriko returned to Bangladesh to produce Motherhouse’s second small batch of luxury handbags, this time focusing on refining designs for Japan's elevated fashion market. During this period, a new philosophy took shape—one that would define Motherhouse’s manufacturing mission: to confront and fully embrace the inherent character of each material.

The second collection from the new company again centered on jute, with a small batch of 650 bags that all sold out. The designs intentionally celebrated jute’s natural wrinkles, with styles named Edge, Shaggy, and Gather.

When Eriko returned to Bangladesh in January, 2007 to begin production on the 3rd line of bags, protests were breaking out in Bangladesh. Political unrest resulted in the factory being abandoned and all designs were lost.

Instead of abandoning her mission, Eriko chose to stay in Bangladesh and joined forces with Atif, an experienced leather exporter, and Sohel, a master pattern maker and factory owner. Together, they developed the Spring 2007 collection featuring nine handbags and five small accessories, many of which evolved from their earlier successes using jute as a core material.

An exclusive customer event was held to introduce the Motherhouse Spring 2007 Collection.
One of the largest newspapers in Japan published a feature about Motherhouse’s mission and the Spring 2007 Collection. The brand took off, and Motherhouse was awarded an exclusive 2-year contract to produce a fabric called Jute 6lb.

The first Motherhouse store opened in Iriya, Taito-ku, Tokyo on August 21, 2007.

Shown here is a concept design for the store and the actual store layout.

Motherhouse expanded to Nepal as a key production country, creating stoles and knitwear using premium cashmere and silk. The operation focuses on job creation, empowering women, and building a “second home” community workplace, not just a factory. Led by local management, the business puts the Motherhouse philosophy into practice through commerce.

The first official Motherhouse store opens in Taiwan.

Motherhouse opened its first Hong Kong store in 2015 as its third overseas location. It was located inside Eslite Bookstore in Tsim Sha Tsui, the central district on the Kowloon side. Eslite is a Taiwan-born, globally admired lifestyle bookstore known for pairing books with beautifully curated design goods.

Began production of shirts using hand-spun, hand-woven "Khadi" fabric in India, the brand's fifth production country.

Fabric Motherhouse’s mission is to shape the future of handcraft—from “developing” regions to the world—by working closely with materials and staying in dialogue with local artisans, trusting human hands to draw out the true potential of natural fibers and create textiles filled with warmth, character, and the maker’s joy. From spinning and weaving to crafting garments and stoles, each step is taken with pride like a baton passed to the customer, with the hope that wearing these pieces brings a gentle kindness and the quiet courage to take a new step forward.

Motherhouse opened its first Singapore store in 2019—its fourth market. With five production countries (Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and India), Motherhouse operates across nine countries with over 700 staff. The store is located at Jewel Changi Airport, offering visitors and residents an immersive experience of craftsmanship and production stories, allowing them to “Meet the New World.”

Myanmar’s Mogok is famed for the world’s finest rubies. There, Motherhouse discovered rare, natural, untreated rubies and built a Myanmar jewelry line with local artisans—its sixth production base. Unlike heat-treated stones, these rubies keep their original color. Motherhouse takes responsibility from mining to delivery, offering a truly unique red. Production is currently paused as of 2025.

The RINNE series upcycles leather from customers’ pre-loved bags into one-of-a-kind bags and small goods. The aim is to go further towards zero waste by repurposing metal parts and turning leftover materials into ceramic powder for future products or store fixtures. We’ve partnered with Minowa no Sato, a disability support social welfare organization, to help dismantle the bags—expanding inclusive work while reducing waste.

Launched in September 2022, ERIKO YAMAGUCHI is a fashion brand that expresses designer Eriko Yamaguchi’s worldview through clothing, bags, and jewelry. Its borderless designs transcend gender and age while shifting to match each wearer’s mood and style. Inspired by the natural “sway” and “ease” of organic materials, it fuses an Eastern sense of draped fabric with modern silhouettes and urban-ready colors, exploring new possibilities for natural textiles through deep dialogue with materials and Asian craftsmanship.

Little MOTHERHOUSE, launched in 2021, shares the possibilities of food from so‑called “developing” regions with the world, highlighting rich ingredients, farmers, and food cultures through thoughtfully made products. Its chocolate line, created in collaboration with Kyoto maker Dari K (founded in 2011), uses carefully sourced cacao from Sulawesi, Indonesia, supports local fermentation techniques, and helps protect ecosystems by planting diverse trees—strengthening livelihoods and resilience to climate change while offering original high‑cacao and uniquely blended white chocolates.

The "Last One Shop” is a concept store that brings together Motherhouse pieces that are almost sold out nationwide, inviting customers to search for rare items like treasure, from beloved staples to unique one‑of‑a‑kind finds. The lineup includes the entire Motherhouse lineup, none of which will ever be reproduced—once sold here, they are gone for good. This reflects Motherhouse’s belief that every final piece should be delivered with care and given a special place to shine.

Eriko launched ERIKO YAMAGUCHI’s U.S. e-commerce site in the summer of 2025. As she grows the brand globally, she presents her work under her own name—offering a full collection of bags, small leather goods, apparel, and jewelry.

2026 marks Motherhouse’s 20th anniversary—the origin of everything that became ERIKO YAMAGUCHI in the U.S.

Eriko's original mission remains unchanged: Can business lift the lives of artisans in developing countries?

In this milestone year, Yamaguchi's promise stays true: to grow a world where craftsmanship and empowerment rise together.