Yukiko Bassett Okasa worked at John Lobb for eight years. She was the first Japanese person to be hired full time at John Lobb and was even given responsibility of apprentices' training. She was awarded the 'Young Designer of the Year' award that is usually given to talented designers. In 2004, she returned to Japan and started a shoemaking school called Bench Work Study. In 2006, she launched her own shoe company: Bench Made Yukiko Bassett Okawa.