Kimie Nakano studied Literature at Musashino University in Tokyo, Theatre Costume at École Nationale Supérieure des Arts et Techniques du Théâtre in Paris and obtained a Theatre Design MA at Wimbledon College of Art in London.

During the course of her career, she has designed costumes for many international dance companies and choreographers, such as The Royal Ballet of Flanders, Rambert Dance Company, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, José Agudo, Didy Veldman, Ballet Vlaanderen, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal, English National Ballet, Northern Ballet, Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet, Royal Danish Ballet, Companhia Nacional de Bailado, Van Huynh Company, and Yabin Studio. 

Nakano’s opera credits include The Return of Ulysses by John Fulljames for Royal Opera and Tristan und Isolde by Carmen Jakobi for Longborough Festival Opera. Her theatre designs include Pas, Pas Moi, Va et Vient for the TNP Beckett Festival and film costume designs include Basho and Macbeth. Her work was also exhibited at the 2015 Prague Quadrennial and the V&A.

She has cooperated with Akram Khan on the following productions:  Vertical Road, Dust, iTMOi, TOROBAKA, Gnosis, Kaash, The Rashomon Effect, and technê.