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During your student days, I want you to explore something and talk to many people.

Fashion designer Mikage Shin

At the flagship store in Omotesando, Tokyo

Mikage Shin, a fashion designer who launched her own brand "MIKAGE SHIN" in New York in 2019, has been attracting attention for her "genderless and sustainable wear" at fashion weeks (*) around the world, including New York, Paris, and Tokyo. In Japan, she graduated from Waseda University's School School of Political Science and Economics, not an art university. What's more, she has since worked at an advertising agency, making an unprecedented career change. What kind of student life did this up-and-coming artist go through, and what kind of decisions and efforts did she make to reach her current position?

(*) An event that is part of the fashion show and is held for about a week.

It's not about which is right, it's about choosing the right path.

Mikage is an exciting fashion designer. However, during her childhood, she spent her days asking herself, ``Who am I? Is marriage really the key to a woman's life and happiness?''

``My mother was a single mother with a foreign nationality, and she had been divorced twice before I was 4 years old. Also, she was busy with work, and most of the time she wasn't home when I got home. I felt lonely. I had a complex about how different I was from the ``normal'' view of those around me, who ``have normal happiness with a complete family.'' Furthermore, because I moved frequently, I changed schools more than five times in elementary school alone. Additionally, my father is absent, I have no hometown to call home, and I am different from other people. Naturally, I wonder where I depend on myself, my identity and way of life, and how I can live a happy life as a woman when I look at my mother. I started thinking about what that is.”

The turning point in her life was her encounter with fashion.

"My life changed when I discovered fashion when I was 12 years old. Even if I am not confident in myself, I can transform into the person I want to be by choosing the fashion I want. Fashion has given me confidence.”

Similar to such fashion, Mikage has always been interested in social issues.

``While enrolled at Waseda University Honjo Senior High School, I founded the ``Politics and Economics Club'' to learn more about society, and participated in court hearings, mock elections on campus, and documentary production. Things that inevitably occur in human relationships. Moreover, through changing schools I realized that society and human relationships are diverse. Nevertheless, I felt guilty that I could not express myself fully in my own words, so I took this as an opportunity. I wanted to learn from it.”

As part of the ``Politics and Economy Club'' activities, she also visited the National Diet Building.

``I want to broaden my horizons without overlooking the world and possibilities that I don't know about.'' Even after entering School of Political Science and Economics, she continued to follow her own antennae and joined the Broadcasting Research Group (official student club, hereafter Ho-ken). WAVOC (Waseda University The Hirayama Ikuo Volunteer Center)'s agricultural student club and refugee exchange student club. She said she had busy days with her respective activities.

``At Ho-ken, I served as the deputy manager of the announcement department, and learned a lot about event management, organizational management, and how to interact with people and communicate. In addition, in WAVOC's agriculture-related student club, my goal was to improve dietary education. While working in a wide variety of communities, such as organizing agricultural experiences and participating in refugee exchange projects, I intentionally exposed myself to the many facets of society and tried to avoid becoming too rigid in my perspective. Now that I think about it, I guess I've always been looking for ways to help people live better lives, and what I can do."

She still meets up with the members of Ho-ken from time to time.
Photo left: With friends at Toyama Campus Waseda University Student Center
Photo right: At Meiji Jingu Baseball Stadium, where I helped set up the sound for the Waseda-Keio game.

When looking for a job, Mikage struggled with whether to prioritize fashion, which she loves, or international organizations and news organizations that address social issues. However, at this time, the fixed idea that ``it is difficult to become a successful designer'' prevailed over her, and she chose to work for a company instead.

``I loved fashion, but only a handful of people succeed as designers, so I went into job hunting thinking that I should make use of the stable career I had built up through my studies. I had also seen my mother's lifestyle, so I went into job hunting. I also wanted to become financially independent so that I could live on my own as a woman. After job hunting, I worked in various industries such as planners at advertising companies, all kinds of manufacturers, media, NGOs, government agencies, and fashion. I decided to join an advertising agency because I knew that I would be able to work with people in the form of problem-solving and project proposals."

Mikage spent her days busy working as a strategic planner in the marketing department at an advertising company. However, the more she immersed herself in her work, the more she realized that she was disconnected from her own desires.

“When I suddenly looked around me, I started thinking about what legacy I could leave behind as there were seniors and colleagues who were better suited for this job than I was. ``I wish I could make clothes like this'' only grew stronger.I started seriously considering a career change.''

Mikage, who was feeling lost, was supported by advice from her mother.

"Some people objected to me, saying that I was able to join a major listed company, but my mother told me, ``It's not about which choice is right, it's about making the path you choose the right one.'' Above all, people who actually take on challenges are cooler than people who criticize others who are trying. I want to live a life that makes me think of myself as really cool. I decided to become a designer.”

If you are interested, it is better to pursue it without setting limits.

Deciding to change her career to become a fashion designer, Mikage left her job at an advertising agency and moved to the United States to study fashion. She enrolled at Parsons School of Art in New York. Was it really difficult to decide and carry out studying abroad, including the language preparation? When asked about this, she said, ``It was more thrilling to graduate after entering than the difficulty of entering.''

``There are many assignments, and in addition to the assignments, international students are required to write two to three English essays every week. In addition to assignments that solidify the basics of clothing making such as sewing, there are also assignments on marketing and language studies. I was immersed in school all day long. As I lived in New York, I would sometimes be asked to tell me about sightseeing spots, but at the time I was so busy doing my homework that I didn't have time to play, so I had no idea (lol). It was especially tough before I graduated, and I had to stay up all night and get shingles, which was really tough."

A scene from backstage at New York Fashion Week (NYFW) in 2019 while attending art school.

Of course, launching a brand is even more difficult than graduating. Mikage spent her days working alone in New York not only as a designer, but also in procuring materials, securing production factories, and meeting with banks. Where did the energy that allowed her to push forward without hesitation come from?

“It was because I absolutely believed in my talent, and I had a strong desire to realize that potential.”

The collection, which embodies Mikage's desire to create clothes that empower many women, has been featured not only in Japan but also in overseas media, and is now moving on to the next stage. Advocating ``genderless,'' ``ageless,'' and ``borderless,'' the brand officially participated in the Tokyo Fashion Week show, and is attracting more and more attention as a brand that approaches social issues such as diversity and sustainability from a fashion perspective.

“Actually, I think that true diversity means that anyone can wear it, regardless of gender, and there is no need to use the words ``diversity fashion.'' I was originally aiming for the ``female empowerment'' category. We naturally decided to reduce the size of the brand because we had many experiences in New York and other places where men wanted to wear it.We can become a brand that can offer new value in an area that is not yet mature. I feel like it's very possible."

Mikage, who looks toward the future without setting limits on the range of possibilities, also hopes that graduates will not make too many assumptions about the future and value the process.

``Congratulations on your graduation. I think there are people who go on to various career paths, but being a new graduate or their academic background is not the only thing that determines their career path. I think many of them will change jobs and careers a lot in the future. It's interesting because you never know what's going to happen in your life until you die. Regardless of your academic background or your surroundings, believe in yourself and walk freely and freely in your own way no matter where you turn."

We also received another message for current students.

``When I was in school, I really hated it when I asked my seniors what I should do as a student, and they told me, ``It's the only time you can play, so you should play.'' (lol) There isn't much time to study and spend, so if you're interested in something, it's better to learn and pursue it without setting any limits. At the same time as developing your eye, it will definitely be useful even after you enter the workforce. Also, please try talking to various people. When you enter the workforce, you will intentionally or unconsciously narrow down the variety of human relationships. Now Please try talking to as many people as you would otherwise meet."

Interview and text:Naoto Oguma (Graduated from School of Letters, Arts and Sciences II in 2002)
Photography: Kota Nunokawa