Born and raised in Tokyo, capitol of Japan where the ultramodern and the traditional cultures are mixed, Kei Hirata began cutting hair at the age of 13, marking the start of his inspiration to explore the world of beauty and hairstyling. Kei began his professional career working at HEAVENS in Harajuku, Tokyo, to master his haircutting and hair styling skills after his graduation of Nihon Beauty Academy of Tokyo.

Kei moved for a change from the busy urban life to experience the cultural variety of Vancouver, Canada. He lived there for several years, working at hair salon, taking on new challenges such as styling for fashion shoots, advertisements, and tv shows, while working with a wide variety of clients and colleagues.

Kei is currently based in New York City and works at hair salon in East Village and barbershop in Brooklyn while working as freelance hair styling consultant for celebrity hairs and magazine shootings. These wide variety of his experiences have been reflected and are integral to Kei's unique hair design creation. His work can be seen in publications such as Amazing Magazine, ELLE Men Hong Kong, and I.T Post Magazine.