GLIC\u2019s passion for the Christmas lights event Hikarimichi<\/h4>\n\n\n- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Please tell me about GILC, which you currently chair. <\/dd>\n
- Miki<\/dt>\n
- GILC stands for the Ginza International Luxury Committee, an association of luxury fashion brands with shops located on Chuo-dori and Harumi-dori in Ginza. It was established in 2002 with seven initial members. Now, we are an organization of twenty member brands. <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- What was the organization established for? <\/dd>\n
- Miki<\/dt>\n
- It was a time when Ginza experienced a series of openings of flagship stores by overseas luxury fashion brands. Our intention was to make a contribution to the long-established stores of Ginza and its community, as well to seek mutual growth. <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- What do you do?<\/dd>\n
- Miki<\/dt>\n
- Our main activity is a project called \u201cHikarimichi\u201d that we launched in 2011 and have continued every year from December through January. We decorate Chuo-dori and Harumi-dori with illumination. Before 2011, we used to host a jazz festival among other events, which were very popular, but as you know, Japan was hit by the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Yes, Japan was filled with sorrow that year. <\/dd>\n
- Miki<\/dt>\n
- Ginza was no example. The entire town of Ginza was gloomy, as the electricity-saving campaign had caused lights to disappear from Ginza and everyone in town had voluntarily refrained from doing anything celebratory. Against this backdrop, we wanted to light up Ginza with illuminations and brighten up the atmosphere. The core concept of this event still remains to be providing aid for the Tohoku region\u2019s reconstruction from the earthquake, so during the two months of the event, we set up donation boxes in stores that support our objectives as well as GLIC brand stores. The donations are sent to UNESCO Japan. <\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n
![\"\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_61_01.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n![\"\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_61_02.jpg\")
<\/div>\n![\"\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_61_03.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nInnovative illuminations produced by French artists <\/h4>\n\n- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- What is the theme of the sixth Hikarimichi? Could you also describe the highlights of this year\u2019s illumination? <\/dd>\n
- Miki<\/dt>\n
- We have different themes each year, and this year, our theme is \u201cGarden of Light.\u201d For the first time, we have invited French designers to produce illuminated artwork. <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- That is wonderful! Could you please tell me a little about them? <\/dd>\n
- Miki<\/dt>\n
- PITAYA Design is a creative studio comprising two French artists. Having participated in many international art festivals featuring lightworks, they are true professionals of lighting installations. They have certainly given the illuminations this year an artistic touch. Being made of lights, illuminations are usually difficult to see in daylight, but the artists have used holograms so that their lightwork may be enjoyed during the day as well. Hikarimichi 2016 can be enjoyed both day and night. <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- That is something to look forward to!<\/dd>\n
- Miki<\/dt>\n
- We have plans for another event on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day as well as the day before. We are considering distributing brooches specially designed by PITAYA for Hikarimichi 2016. Shoppers will be able to receive on at stores that carry a donation box. When the brooch is worn, the illuminated person will become a part of the installation. That way the whole town will turn into a large installation. I am proud to say, this is a novel and unparalleled idea. <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- That sounds exciting! Will you continue the illuminations for years to come? <\/dd>\n
- Miki<\/dt>\n
- Yes, I would like to continue for as long as we can. But times will change, and if we should come up with better ideas, we may try something new. However, our passion will be unchanged. We will always seek to be a contributing member of Ginza\u2019s community and help it generate new creations The illuminations are just one of these ideas. <\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n
![\"\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_61_04.jpg\")
\n<\/div>\n![\"\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_61_05.jpg\")
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n![\"\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_61_06.jpg\")
\n<\/div>\n![\"PITAYA\uff08\u30d4\u30bf\u30e4\uff09\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_61_07.jpg\")
<\/p>\nPITAYA<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
\nGinza, a town with internationally high status <\/h4>\n\n\n- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- May I ask a few questions about Richemont Japan Limited, of which you are President and CEO? <\/dd>\n
- Miki<\/dt>\n
- Were you familiar with Richemont prior to this? <\/dd>\n
- Takashima <\/dt>\n
- No, I\u2019m afraid not\u2026 (bitterly laughs) <\/dd>\n
- Miki<\/dt>\n
- Oh, please do not feel bad about that (laughs). Richemont is not the name of a particular brand but is the corporate name of the Richemont Group, a luxury brand group second only to LVMH (Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton) which Louis Vuitton belongs to. Our headquarters are based Geneva in Switzerland and I represent the Japanese arm of the company, Richemont Japan.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I need to study more!<\/dd>\n
- Miki<\/dt>\n
- Our group comprises mostly timepiece and jewelry brands, including the jewelry brands Cartier, and Van Cleef & Arpels and the luxury watchmakers Vacheron Constantin, Piaget and Panerai. We own a total of fourteen brands, with also Dunhill, Mont Blanc and Chloe. We actually have six boutiques from our group on Chuo-dori. <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Six boutiques! Does locating a store in Ginza put it in a class of its own? <\/dd>\n
- Miki<\/dt>\n
- Yes. A store on Chuo-dori has great significance for a luxury brand. Ginza means high status for everyone who works in luxury brands worldwide. It is the equivalent of having a boutique on Fifth Avenue or Madison Avenue in New York or on Paris\u2019 Champs Elysees or Avenue Montaigne. <\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n
![\"\u30ab\u30eb\u30c6\u30a3\u30a8](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_61_08.jpg\")
<\/p>\nCartier Ginza Boutique
Jimmy Cohrssen \u00a9Cartier<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n![\"\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_61_09.jpg\")
\n<\/div>\n![\"\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_61_10.jpg\")
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nHopes for Ginza\u2019s dramatical development into a true international city <\/h4>\n\n\n- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- What are your expectations for Ginza? <\/dd>\n
- Miki<\/dt>\n
- Ginza has been and will continue to be a town of \u201ctradition and innovation\u201d. This is a unique feature, not to be found in any other town nationwide. Ginza is a town of old traditions and culture that have been passed down over generations or hundreds of years, as well as traditions that have been pursued by those living or doing business in there. These traditions will continue eternally. However, Ginza is not just about traditions. If Ginza only observed traditions it would become an anachronism, but it is constantly building on its traditions to create something new. Open to luxury brands like us, Ginza is well-balanced, accepting the new while preserving traditions. <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I guess that incredible sense of balance is what makes Ginza so attractive. <\/dd>\n
- Miki<\/dt>\n
- Yes, I believe so. Not only Ginza, but towns throughout Japan, will become more internationalized in the future. The Tokyo Olympics may mark a turning point. In light of that, I hope that Ginza will continue to welcome foreigners and gain world status as a true international city. Of course, we are determined to contribute to its development. <\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n
![\"\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_61_11.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n![\"\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_61_12.jpg\")
<\/p>\n\nChisako Takashima<\/h4>\n
Violinist. Takashima started taking violin lessons from the age of 6. After a successful career abroad, she moved her home base to Japan, where she currently performs in concerts across the country. Highly noted for her character in TV and radio appearances, she has currently opened up her career to more diverse fields with an unchanged focus on her profession <\/p>\n
- \n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Please tell me about GILC, which you currently chair. <\/dd>\n
- Miki<\/dt>\n
- GILC stands for the Ginza International Luxury Committee, an association of luxury fashion brands with shops located on Chuo-dori and Harumi-dori in Ginza. It was established in 2002 with seven initial members. Now, we are an organization of twenty member brands. <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- What was the organization established for? <\/dd>\n
- Miki<\/dt>\n
- It was a time when Ginza experienced a series of openings of flagship stores by overseas luxury fashion brands. Our intention was to make a contribution to the long-established stores of Ginza and its community, as well to seek mutual growth. <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- What do you do?<\/dd>\n
- Miki<\/dt>\n
- Our main activity is a project called \u201cHikarimichi\u201d that we launched in 2011 and have continued every year from December through January. We decorate Chuo-dori and Harumi-dori with illumination. Before 2011, we used to host a jazz festival among other events, which were very popular, but as you know, Japan was hit by the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Yes, Japan was filled with sorrow that year. <\/dd>\n
- Miki<\/dt>\n
- Ginza was no example. The entire town of Ginza was gloomy, as the electricity-saving campaign had caused lights to disappear from Ginza and everyone in town had voluntarily refrained from doing anything celebratory. Against this backdrop, we wanted to light up Ginza with illuminations and brighten up the atmosphere. The core concept of this event still remains to be providing aid for the Tohoku region\u2019s reconstruction from the earthquake, so during the two months of the event, we set up donation boxes in stores that support our objectives as well as GLIC brand stores. The donations are sent to UNESCO Japan. <\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
Innovative illuminations produced by French artists <\/h4>\n
- \n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- What is the theme of the sixth Hikarimichi? Could you also describe the highlights of this year\u2019s illumination? <\/dd>\n
- Miki<\/dt>\n
- We have different themes each year, and this year, our theme is \u201cGarden of Light.\u201d For the first time, we have invited French designers to produce illuminated artwork. <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- That is wonderful! Could you please tell me a little about them? <\/dd>\n
- Miki<\/dt>\n
- PITAYA Design is a creative studio comprising two French artists. Having participated in many international art festivals featuring lightworks, they are true professionals of lighting installations. They have certainly given the illuminations this year an artistic touch. Being made of lights, illuminations are usually difficult to see in daylight, but the artists have used holograms so that their lightwork may be enjoyed during the day as well. Hikarimichi 2016 can be enjoyed both day and night. <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- That is something to look forward to!<\/dd>\n
- Miki<\/dt>\n
- We have plans for another event on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day as well as the day before. We are considering distributing brooches specially designed by PITAYA for Hikarimichi 2016. Shoppers will be able to receive on at stores that carry a donation box. When the brooch is worn, the illuminated person will become a part of the installation. That way the whole town will turn into a large installation. I am proud to say, this is a novel and unparalleled idea. <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- That sounds exciting! Will you continue the illuminations for years to come? <\/dd>\n
- Miki<\/dt>\n
- Yes, I would like to continue for as long as we can. But times will change, and if we should come up with better ideas, we may try something new. However, our passion will be unchanged. We will always seek to be a contributing member of Ginza\u2019s community and help it generate new creations The illuminations are just one of these ideas. <\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n
PITAYA<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
\nGinza, a town with internationally high status <\/h4>\n
\n- \n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- May I ask a few questions about Richemont Japan Limited, of which you are President and CEO? <\/dd>\n
- Miki<\/dt>\n
- Were you familiar with Richemont prior to this? <\/dd>\n
- Takashima <\/dt>\n
- No, I\u2019m afraid not\u2026 (bitterly laughs) <\/dd>\n
- Miki<\/dt>\n
- Oh, please do not feel bad about that (laughs). Richemont is not the name of a particular brand but is the corporate name of the Richemont Group, a luxury brand group second only to LVMH (Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton) which Louis Vuitton belongs to. Our headquarters are based Geneva in Switzerland and I represent the Japanese arm of the company, Richemont Japan.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I need to study more!<\/dd>\n
- Miki<\/dt>\n
- Our group comprises mostly timepiece and jewelry brands, including the jewelry brands Cartier, and Van Cleef & Arpels and the luxury watchmakers Vacheron Constantin, Piaget and Panerai. We own a total of fourteen brands, with also Dunhill, Mont Blanc and Chloe. We actually have six boutiques from our group on Chuo-dori. <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Six boutiques! Does locating a store in Ginza put it in a class of its own? <\/dd>\n
- Miki<\/dt>\n
- Yes. A store on Chuo-dori has great significance for a luxury brand. Ginza means high status for everyone who works in luxury brands worldwide. It is the equivalent of having a boutique on Fifth Avenue or Madison Avenue in New York or on Paris\u2019 Champs Elysees or Avenue Montaigne. <\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n
Cartier Ginza Boutique
Jimmy Cohrssen \u00a9Cartier<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nHopes for Ginza\u2019s dramatical development into a true international city <\/h4>\n
\n- \n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- What are your expectations for Ginza? <\/dd>\n
- Miki<\/dt>\n
- Ginza has been and will continue to be a town of \u201ctradition and innovation\u201d. This is a unique feature, not to be found in any other town nationwide. Ginza is a town of old traditions and culture that have been passed down over generations or hundreds of years, as well as traditions that have been pursued by those living or doing business in there. These traditions will continue eternally. However, Ginza is not just about traditions. If Ginza only observed traditions it would become an anachronism, but it is constantly building on its traditions to create something new. Open to luxury brands like us, Ginza is well-balanced, accepting the new while preserving traditions. <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I guess that incredible sense of balance is what makes Ginza so attractive. <\/dd>\n
- Miki<\/dt>\n
- Yes, I believe so. Not only Ginza, but towns throughout Japan, will become more internationalized in the future. The Tokyo Olympics may mark a turning point. In light of that, I hope that Ginza will continue to welcome foreigners and gain world status as a true international city. Of course, we are determined to contribute to its development. <\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/p>\n\n
Chisako Takashima<\/h4>\n
Violinist. Takashima started taking violin lessons from the age of 6. After a successful career abroad, she moved her home base to Japan, where she currently performs in concerts across the country. Highly noted for her character in TV and radio appearances, she has currently opened up her career to more diverse fields with an unchanged focus on her profession <\/p>\n
![\"MUSE\u301c12](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_cd_muse.jpg\")
<\/p>\n