Kazuyoshi Hino was born in Japan and came to Chicago in 1975. Malee Chompoo was born in Thailand and came to Chicago in 1969. They began HINO & MALEE Company in March 1980. They were married in April 1988. The company grew to approximately 300 accounts in the U.S. and abroad. In 1990 they opened a retail store in Chicago on Oak Street, and in the same year, they became members of the Council of Fashion Designers of America.After twenty-one years, Kazuyoshi Hino and Malee Chompoo, citing a health setback, decided to close their HINO & MALEE organization in June 2001.

“Simplicity with excitement,” is how Hino & Malee describe their work. Hino & Malee create clothes with a clear, crisp and ultra linear approach. The unique artistry marked by a characteristic use of asymmetric details are the basics for their signature style.“The main concern of our design is to bring out the best in a woman intellectually, as well as to show her individuality, and for her to look beautiful and find freshness in herself.”