In 2008 Kei Nonimiya joined the Comme des Garçons family as a pattern-maker for Rei Kawakubo. Four years later Kawakubo suggested that the clothes Ninomiya was creating for Comme des Garçons should be shown under his own name and Noir Kei Ninomiya was born. Ninomiya finds inspiration in craftsmanship and garments, experimenting with unconventional pattern-cutting and assembly techniques. The designer avoids sewing whenever possible, and one of his signature construction methods is putting garments together by linking various laser cut pieces.