Haruna Kojima look.2

Welcome to Part 2 of our interview with Haruna Kojima, where you can catch some of the background of her fashion brand launch, and she tells us about what’s in store in the months to come. So then, Haruna, let’s see what you have hidden deep within your heart.

The excitement hits its peak when you can open take out the new stuff you bought!

Second up, we’d like to introduce you to this masculine ensemble; the knit top has a somewhat rough texture with an oversized look, along with denim jeans. A scenario to consider is when a woman has an abundance of soft, feminine qualities. Perhaps the reason she’s so focused getting that soft, feminine image to really pop is because the boyish look is so hot right now. She’s not particularly concerned about her hair though, interestingly enough.
“Yeah, I either don’t do much with my hair, or I leave it in something not very stylish; so for my hair, it’s a natural look, where I’ve channeled all of my creative energies into my makeup. My lipstick is brown, giving a nod to the current Autumn seasonal color mainstay, and it’s put on heavily to make a bold statement. She’s matched them up with a pair of short boots , which are easy to pair with dresses and skirts, making them an excellent addition to your wardrobe! Let’s make the seasons coming up a great time to remember.

So, for Haruna, fully immersed in the fashion industry whether it be prepping clothes, generating ideas, or working behind the scenes, we want to know what that kind of lifestyle is like.
“There are highs and lows. Getting VIP treatment is nice, but then because of your name, certain things are expected of you. The fun parts of the fashion world can really lift your spirits. I really think that is the most important thing. I just love shopping, and I’m always ordering from overseas online vendors. The website is really nice, it’s made to look like a fashion magazine, so I get all excited going there to find stuff. I check that spot out for trends and different style ideas. When I do some online shopping and the package arrives, I get so excited to open it. It’s like the highlight of my day. And I would love to be able to do that for someone else using my own brand.”

She’s gradually learning to manage her website, and is working on getting up to speed on social media, when we ask her which is the most popular.
“I get inspired every time I see something on China. It’s different from Japan’s focus on cute characters and things like that. They’re good at portraying positive images of themselves. And aesthetically-pleasing images can serve as a type of reference for the mind when associating a place with an image. I want everyone to be happy and enjoying life as much as the women in those images, and if my products have some part in helping them achieve that, then all the better.”

When the clothes you make
Become a tool for community growth

After moving on from AKB48, she chose a new career path in the fashion industry, launching her own brand.
“I wanted to know what it was like to live a life in which I made my own clothing.”
“I wanted to create my own little closed community, an exclusive space just for loyal fans of my brand. And using what was inside those shipping containers was how I got it started. And now for the past year, members of that social media network can comment on what they got, how it fits, make recommendations. At first, it was like one or two, and I wanted to start doing more exhibits thanks to that, all these things started happening, networks, online stores, pop-up stores, all kinds of stuff. Lots of fans were pleased, so that made me really happy.”

Clothes I designed can be used as a marketing tool, and can help bring communities together. While improving displays and exhibitions, and sharing new ideas as they come out, one by one. This is also a way to introduce the creator. That girl’s inspiration for the design comes from: “Well basically, I had an idea from something I wanted to wear, and then made it a reality, just like that. I would get these concepts, and then craft it into something to put on social media, where I’d receive feedback from fans. Social media is such a great tool for gathering like-minded people. And hopefully that improves the atmosphere of the group as well.”

Haruna Kojima has gone from a cute little AKB idol, to a mature business owner. She’s grown over the years, but I wonder in what ways has that taken shape. What kind of changes, exactly?
“Well, before, I wasn’t very good at contributing to meetings or whatever, but now I’m better at sharing my point of view.”
So with that, communication skills in general have likely improved. And that’s a big thing. As the years go by, it sounds like things are getting better and better.

And last, we want to mention exhibits and events to come.
“I have a lot of stuff coming up. I also have a surprise coming too, I’m going to keep that a secret for a while, because I want you to look forward to it (lol).”
There was an AKB48 Graduation Concert featuring Haruna Kojima some time ago, which drew attention of many people. Let’s keep a close watch on her with warm wishes for her future success.

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DIRECTION : Shinsuke Nozaka
PHOTO・MOVIE : Yoshiaki Sekine (SIGNO)
HAIR MAKE : Kiyoshi Aiba (Lila)
STYLIST : SHOCO
TEXT : Mai Okuhara