{"id":2199,"date":"2020-06-22T13:53:59","date_gmt":"2020-06-22T04:53:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/unmixlove.com\/?p=2199"},"modified":"2020-07-21T23:12:36","modified_gmt":"2020-07-21T14:12:36","slug":"%e3%83%98%e3%83%ab%e3%82%b7%e3%83%bc%e3%81%a7%e3%81%84%e3%82%8b%e3%81%93%e3%81%a8%e3%81%8c%e3%81%99%e3%81%b9%e3%81%a6%e3%81%ae%e5%9f%ba%e6%9c%ac-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unmixlove.com\/en\/archives\/2199","title":{"rendered":"For Yumiko Suzuki, Health Is Wealth"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Beauty of Intergenerational Knowledge<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>Tell me more about your work. <\/p>\n

Yumiko\u3000<\/strong>I\u2019m in charge of Suzuhiro branding, and also assist in the creation of designs. Stencil dyeing is a traditional Japanese technique that consists of drawing a sketch, carving out a pattern, and then using it to dye paper or cloth. Currently, I\u2019m using the stencil dyeing technique to create wrapping paper and calendars for my family\u2019s business \u201cSuzuhiro<\/a>\u201d. We\u2019re also creating some hand towels for our customers as well. <\/p>\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>Suzuhiro Kamaboko\u2019s traditional designs are truly wonderful. How do you strike a balance between creating both contemporary and traditional designs? <\/p>\n

Yumiko\u3000<\/strong>Suzuhiro has a specific visual style, one that\u2019s been passed down for generations. Initially, I tried to infuse the work with my own perspectives, but eventually realized that\u2019s not the right approach. My main goals are to promote Suzuhiro\u2019s worldview and maintain my family\u2019s tradition and promote my personality and viewpoints when I\u2019m working on more personal projects.<\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>So, you\u2019ve been able to create a distinction between your own work and Suzuhiro\u2019s traditional techniques? <\/p>\n

Yumiko\u3000<\/strong>Yes. Suzuhiro has been in business for 155 years, so it\u2019s important to maintain consistency in our products for our customers. When I experiment on my own time, I like playing around with the materials and dyes, or using gold leaf. Sometimes, people really like it, and my father will request that I make it for the company.<\/p>\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>Finding ways to modernize more traditional forms of art can be challenging, but also so rewarding. Integrating new materials with old techniques is such a fantastic way to do that. <\/p>\n

Yumiko\u3000<\/strong>The more ancient and traditional patterns will only reach a certain crowd, so it\u2019s important to adapt them to our contemporary audience by changing certain materials.<\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>Do you ever feel like taking a more casual approach to your designs and just seeing where things go? <\/p>\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Yumiko\u3000<\/strong>Stencil dyeing is a very balanced task. The initial design is created, carved out, and meticulously arranged before being deemed complete. But sometimes, I notice that in the process of fine-tuning things, I\u2019ll gloss over some of the accidental roughness that makes the work so powerful and magical. <\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>I feel the same way about working with makeup. I\u2019ll often take the first impression that I have of a model\u2019s face and base my work around that. Mostly, I try to focus on the more unique parts of her complexion, because I don\u2019t want to erase or conceal those.  Sometimes, it is fun to play around and get lost in your creativity.<\/p>\n

Yumiko\u3000<\/strong>I love the ability to explore and create, but because stencil dyeing has so many various manufacturing steps, it can be hard to identify where the process loses its magic.<\/p>\n

Also, because stencil dyeing was originally popularized by folk groups, it was considered to be a rather unsophisticated form of art. <\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>I see, so you wouldn\u2019t traditionally find it in a lord\u2019s home.<\/p>\n

Yumiko\u3000<\/strong>Exactly. When designing pieces, I\u2019ll leave the edges a little rough, so they won\u2019t seem so refined. I\u2019d like to think that those decisions bring the work closer to its original intent.   <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Dress Yourself to Express Yourself<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>You don\u2019t seem like a very \u201ccutesy\u201d person to me. <\/p>\n

Yumiko\u3000<\/strong>I actually used to dress that way and experiment with a lot of different styles. But after graduating from college and working for an advertising agency, I eventually got married and came home to work for my family. So naturally, my style shifted along with my environment.<\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>How did it change? <\/p>\n

Yumiko\u3000<\/strong>I used to love shopping at really trendy stores like Zara. Working in the food industry changed things for me\u2014it made it challenging to wear accessories or have manicured nails. My makeup also became much more neutral. My husband works in the classical music industry. I really love dressing up for those classical concerts and events. They make shopping for clothes really fun again, and definitely help push me towards more modern skirts and dresses.<\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>What do you focus on when choosing an outfit for these occasions?<\/p>\n

Yumiko\u3000<\/strong>Typically, the color, pattern, and fabric of each garment, and whether or not they seem to represent the event that I\u2019m celebrating or supporting. It\u2019s also important to pay attention to the age of the other people attending and what their personal tastes are like. <\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>You like to dress more modestly when older people are in attendance?<\/p>\n

Yumiko\u3000<\/strong>I do, but I\u2019m a creative person. I don\u2019t want to be conspicuous, but I don\u2019t want to be too subtle either. <\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>You want to show off your individuality and creativity while also supporting your husband. <\/p>\n

Yumiko\u3000<\/strong>Yes, and I actually really enjoy balancing the two.<\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>How do you coordinate different colors and fabrics in your wardrobe?<\/p>\n

Yumiko\u3000<\/strong>Lately, I\u2019ve only been wearing clothes that I really like. I\u2019m much more confident in my style these days.<\/p>\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>Confidence is the key to any great outfit, so you must look pretty fabulous. Not everyone is that self-assured.<\/p>\n

Yumiko\u3000<\/strong>I think it came with age. As I moved into my 30\u2019s, I began thinking a lot about what makes someone a good colleague or person to work with. I\u2019m constantly meeting people through my work and trying to make an impression on them. Eventually, I realized that confidence and self-respect are the keys.<\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>Meeting new people allows you to open your mind to different opinions while also challenging your own. <\/p>\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Yumiko\u3000<\/strong>Absolutely. As a designer, I definitely feel judged for the way I dress, so I always dress to impress. <\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>Wow, I\u2019ve never thought of it that way. Maybe I should start paying more attention to my personal style, given the fact that my industry is entirely based on how you look.  <\/p>\n

Yumiko\u3000<\/strong>I\u2019m not sure if it\u2019s really working, but it\u2019s always been my approach.  My mother-in-law is a violinist, and at her recitals, she\u2019s always wearing something fabulous from somewhere like Dolce & Gabbana or Givenchy. She\u2019s so fashionable, and it\u2019s honestly inspiring to look at how she does not let her age define her sense of style.<\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>So many people consider aging to be a negative thing, when really it\u2019s perfectly natural. It\u2019s great to have people of different generations to talk with.<\/p>\n

Yumiko\u3000<\/strong>These topics are good to talk about at any age. Whenever I attend parties, I make a point to wear Japanese designers, so that when someone comments on my outfit I can say \u201cThank you, it’s from a designer my age!\u201d It\u2019s always a good conversation starter that often extends into other topics like food, wine, or my favorite of all: music. <\/p>\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

It\u2019s Not What<\/em> You Wear, It\u2019s How<\/em> You Wear It<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>Do you ever find things about yourself that you don\u2019t really admire?<\/p>\n

Yumiko\u3000<\/strong>Absolutely. I\u2019m pretty short and not super thin, so I definitely went through a phase where I felt like everything looked bad on me.<\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>Do you feel like you were comparing yourself to some idealized image? <\/p>\n

Yumiko\u3000<\/strong>You could say that.<\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>How were you able to overcome those insecurities?  <\/p>\n

Yumiko\u3000<\/strong>I\u2019m still working on it now. It\u2019s a gradual process that\u2019s all about mentally encouraging yourself and truly believing that you look good. <\/p>\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>Personally, I feel like society is really redefining their notions of beauty. I hope that the world will learn to embrace many different looks, because no two people look exactly the same.<\/p>\n

Yumiko\u3000<\/strong>One of my biggest insecurities is the whites of my eyes. I feel like they\u2019re way too large, and always make me seem scared or mad. <\/p>\n

Yasuo<\/strong>\u3000Large black eyes sometimes give off a \u201ccute little animal\u201d vibe, but I think your look is quite sophisticated. It\u2019s all about perspective and embracing yourself as you are.<\/p>\n

Yumiko\u3000<\/strong>You\u2019re so right. Recently, I\u2019ve realized that I have a rather pronounced jawline, and the kind of clothing I tend to gravitate towards doesn\u2019t really do much to highlight it.<\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>I have a strong jawline too, which is great because it gives you a really strong profile. I\u2019ve come to realize that the people I perceive as \u201cbeautiful\u201d do not always fit the more mainstream definition of the term. But in many cases, these are the people that redefine our social standards. They\u2019re not trying to look or act like anybody else, and that\u2019s what makes them so unique.  <\/p>\n

Yumiko\u3000<\/strong>I\u2019ll have to try looking at things from a different angle. My husband always tells me that he thinks my eyes are really cute, like those of a fish!<\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>One time on set, a very humorous and cute model told me that she had \u201cshark eyes\u201d and would \u201cbite me.\u201d I found it to be so playful. Japan\u2019s beauty standards are pretty close-minded. I started this blog to combat some of those ideas, and to promote the concept of internal beauty. <\/p>\n

Yumiko\u3000<\/strong>You\u2019re right. Life is so much easier when you like yourself. I really enjoy my job, so I try my best to stay physically and mentally well so that I can continue working for years to come. <\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>What do you do in order to stay healthy?<\/p>\n

Yumiko\u3000<\/strong>I used to have bad nightmares. To combat them, I use an organic essential oil by RUE UN<\/a>, which really relaxes me. <\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>Are there any experiences that stand out to you from your time working for Suzuhiro? <\/p>\n

Yumiko\u3000<\/strong>Actually, yes. I once received a customer\u2019s letter that was thanking me for Suzuhiro\u2019s calendar. She described how happy it made her, and how the imagery reminded her that spring was just around the corner. It made me reflect on my own positive experiences with nature, like the feelings that I get when I\u2019m looking at mountains or the ocean. It can be so spiritually soothing. I tried to keep those emotions in mind when I was creating the calendar, so hearing that a customer experienced that made me really happy. I love making people happy through my work. <\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>It\u2019s always wonderful to know that something you\u2019ve made brings joy to someone else.  Managing stress can be hard, but it\u2019s a necessary part of doing truly life changing work. Personally, I think helping others in these types of ways is what makes life worth living! <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Photos \/ Interview :  Yasuo Yoshikawa<\/p>\n

Text : Mikako Koyama<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Beauty of Intergenerational Knowledge Yasuo\u3000Tell me more about your work.  Yumiko\u3000I\u2019m in charge of Suzuhiro branding, and also assist in the creation of designs. Stencil dyeing is a traditional Japanese technique that consists of drawing a sketch, carving out a pattern, and then using it to dye paper or cloth. Currently, I\u2019m using the stencil dyeing technique to create wrapping paper and calendars for my family\u2019s business \u201cSuzuhiro\u201d. We\u2019re also creating some hand towels for our customers as well.  Yasuo\u3000Suzuhiro Kamaboko\u2019s traditional designs are truly wonderful. How do you strike a balance between creating both contemporary and traditional designs?  Yumiko\u3000Suzuhiro has a specific visual style, one that\u2019s been passed down for generations. Initially, I tried to infuse the work with my own perspectives, but eventually realized that\u2019s not the right approach. My main goals are to promote Suzuhiro\u2019s worldview and maintain my family\u2019s tradition and promote my personality and viewpoints when I\u2019m working on more personal projects. Yasuo\u3000So, you\u2019ve been able to create a distinction between your own work and Suzuhiro\u2019s traditional techniques?  Yumiko\u3000Yes. Suzuhiro has been in business for 155 years, so it\u2019s important to maintain consistency in our products for our customers. When I experiment on my own time, I like playing around with the materials and dyes, or using gold leaf. Sometimes, people really like it, and my father will request that I make it for the company. Yasuo\u3000Finding ways to modernize more traditional forms of art can be challenging, but also so rewarding. Integrating new materials with old techniques is such a fantastic way to do that.  Yumiko\u3000The more ancient and traditional patterns will only reach a certain crowd, so it\u2019s important to adapt them to our contemporary audience by changing certain materials. Yasuo\u3000Do you ever feel like taking a more casual approach to your designs and just seeing where things go?  Yumiko\u3000Stencil dyeing is a very balanced task. The initial design is created, carved out, and meticulously arranged before being deemed complete. But sometimes, I notice that in the process of fine-tuning things, I\u2019ll gloss over some of the accidental roughness that makes the work so powerful and magical.  Yasuo\u3000I feel the same way about working with makeup. I\u2019ll often take the first impression that I have of a model\u2019s face and base my work around that. Mostly, I try to focus on the more unique parts of her complexion, because I don\u2019t want to erase or conceal those.  Sometimes, it is fun to play around and get lost in your creativity. Yumiko\u3000I love the ability to explore and create, but because stencil dyeing has so many various manufacturing steps, it can be hard to identify where the process loses its magic. Also, because stencil dyeing was originally popularized by folk groups, it was considered to be a rather unsophisticated form of art.  Yasuo\u3000I see, so you wouldn\u2019t traditionally find it in a lord\u2019s home. Yumiko\u3000Exactly. When designing pieces, I\u2019ll leave the edges a little rough, so they won\u2019t seem so refined. I\u2019d like to think that those decisions bring the work closer to its original intent.    Dress Yourself to Express Yourself Yasuo\u3000You don\u2019t seem like a very \u201ccutesy\u201d person to me.  Yumiko\u3000I actually used to dress that way and experiment with a lot of different styles. But after graduating from college and working for an advertising agency, I eventually got married and came home to work for my family. So naturally, my style shifted along with my environment. Yasuo\u3000How did it change?  Yumiko\u3000I used to love shopping at really trendy stores like Zara. Working in the food industry changed things for me\u2014it made it challenging to wear accessories or have manicured nails. My makeup also became much more neutral. My husband works in the classical music industry. I really love dressing up for those classical concerts and events. They make shopping for clothes really fun again, and definitely help push me towards more modern skirts and dresses. Yasuo\u3000What do you focus on when choosing an outfit for these occasions? Yumiko\u3000Typically, the color, pattern, and fabric of each garment, and whether or not they seem to represent the event that I\u2019m celebrating or supporting. It\u2019s also important to pay attention to the age of the other people attending and what their personal tastes are like.  Yasuo\u3000You like to dress more modestly when older people are in attendance? Yumiko\u3000I do, but I\u2019m a creative person. I don\u2019t want to be conspicuous, but I don\u2019t want to be too subtle either.  Yasuo\u3000You want to show off your individuality and creativity while also supporting your husband.  Yumiko\u3000Yes, and I actually really enjoy balancing the two. Yasuo\u3000How do you coordinate different colors and fabrics in your wardrobe? Yumiko\u3000Lately, I\u2019ve only been wearing clothes that I really like. I\u2019m much more confident in my style these days. Yasuo\u3000Confidence is the key to any great outfit, so you must look pretty fabulous. Not everyone is that self-assured. Yumiko\u3000I think it came with age. As I moved into my 30\u2019s, I began thinking a lot about what makes someone a good colleague or person to work with. I\u2019m constantly meeting people through my work and trying to make an impression on them. Eventually, I realized that confidence and self-respect are the keys. Yasuo\u3000Meeting new people allows you to open your mind to different opinions while also challenging your own.  Yumiko\u3000Absolutely. As a designer, I definitely feel judged for the way I dress, so I always dress to impress.  Yasuo\u3000Wow, I\u2019ve never thought of it that way. Maybe I should start paying more attention to my personal style, given the fact that my industry is entirely based on how you look.   Yumiko\u3000I\u2019m not sure if it\u2019s really working, but it\u2019s always been my approach.  My mother-in-law is a violinist, and at her recitals, she\u2019s always wearing something fabulous from somewhere like Dolce & Gabbana or Givenchy. She\u2019s so fashionable, and it\u2019s honestly inspiring to look at how she does not let her age define her sense of style. Yasuo\u3000So many people consider aging to be a negative thing, when really it\u2019s perfectly natural. It\u2019s great to have people of different generations to talk with. Yumiko\u3000These topics are good to talk about at any age. Whenever I attend parties, I make a point to wear Japanese designers, so that when someone comments on my outfit I can say \u201cThank you, it’s from a designer my age!\u201d It\u2019s always a good conversation starter that often extends into other topics like food, wine, or my favorite of all: music.  It\u2019s Not What You Wear, It\u2019s How You Wear It Yasuo\u3000Do you ever find things about yourself that you don\u2019t really admire? Yumiko\u3000Absolutely. I\u2019m pretty short and not super thin, so I definitely went through a phase where I felt like everything looked bad on me. Yasuo\u3000Do you feel like you were comparing yourself to some idealized image?  Yumiko\u3000You could say that. Yasuo\u3000How were you able to overcome those insecurities?   Yumiko\u3000I\u2019m still working on it now. It\u2019s a gradual process that\u2019s all about mentally encouraging yourself and truly believing that you look good.  Yasuo\u3000Personally, I feel like society is really redefining their notions of beauty. I hope that the world will learn to embrace many different looks, because no two people look exactly the same. Yumiko\u3000One of my biggest insecurities is the whites of my eyes. I feel like they\u2019re way too large, and always make me seem scared or mad.  Yasuo\u3000Large black eyes sometimes give off a \u201ccute little animal\u201d vibe, but I think your look is quite sophisticated. It\u2019s all about perspective and embracing yourself as you are. Yumiko\u3000You\u2019re so right. Recently, I\u2019ve realized that I have a rather pronounced jawline, and the kind of clothing I tend to gravitate towards doesn\u2019t really do much to highlight it. Yasuo\u3000I have a strong jawline too, which is great because it gives you a really strong profile. I\u2019ve come to realize that the people I perceive as \u201cbeautiful\u201d do not always fit the more mainstream definition of the term. But in many cases, these are the people that redefine our social standards. They\u2019re not trying to look or act like anybody else, and that\u2019s what makes them so unique.   Yumiko\u3000I\u2019ll have to try looking at things from a different angle. My husband always tells me that he thinks my eyes are really cute, like those of a fish! Yasuo\u3000One time on set, a very humorous and cute model told me that she had \u201cshark eyes\u201d and would \u201cbite me.\u201d I found it to be so playful. Japan\u2019s beauty standards are pretty close-minded. I started this blog to combat some of those ideas, and to promote the concept of internal beauty.  Yumiko\u3000You\u2019re right. Life is so much easier when you like yourself. I really enjoy my job, so I try my best to stay physically and mentally well so that I can continue working for years to come.  Yasuo\u3000What do you do in order to stay healthy? Yumiko\u3000I used to have bad nightmares. To combat them, I use an organic essential oil by RUE UN, which really relaxes me.  Yasuo\u3000Are there any experiences that stand out to you from your time working for Suzuhiro?  Yumiko\u3000Actually, yes. I once received a customer\u2019s letter that was thanking me for Suzuhiro\u2019s calendar. She described how happy it made her, and how the imagery reminded her that spring was just around the corner. It made me reflect on my own positive experiences with nature, like the feelings that I get when I\u2019m looking at mountains or the ocean. It can be so spiritually soothing. I tried to keep those emotions in mind when I was creating the calendar, so hearing that a customer experienced that made me really happy. I love making people happy through my work.  Yasuo\u3000It\u2019s always wonderful to know that something you\u2019ve made brings joy to someone else.  Managing stress can be hard, but it\u2019s a necessary part of doing truly life changing work. Personally, I think helping others in these types of ways is what makes life worth living!  Photos \/ Interview :  Yasuo Yoshikawa Text : Mikako Koyama<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2053,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":"yes","_locale":"en_US","_original_post":"2061"},"categories":[5,8],"tags":[57,55,54],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unmixlove.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2199"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unmixlove.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unmixlove.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unmixlove.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unmixlove.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2199"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/unmixlove.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2199\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2361,"href":"https:\/\/unmixlove.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2199\/revisions\/2361"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unmixlove.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2053"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unmixlove.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2199"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unmixlove.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2199"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unmixlove.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2199"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}