Ms. Marie helene Belgacem who used to work for Gallery Lafayette in Paris

Ms. Marie helene Belgacem who used to work for Gallery Lafayette in Paris, now she is a free-lance visual merchandiser, has given us/Akihiko Izukura some advice on a visual merchandising to transmit our brand image toward European market after checking out our stores and special event spaces in both Kyoto and Tokyo the other day. She advised some more after she went back to Paris based on the discussion we had during her stay in Japan.

I would like to wait to open up the details what we discussed at this moment.

However, she emphasized the values of us being in [Japan] and [Kyoto] more than I expected… Actually, we/Akihiko Izukura have tried to avoid using these words the most, and the way which I am sure we can’t avoid as a Japanese designer as well.

Can I say Yes or No to it? This is the question!

Honestly, I terribly have been hesitating to answer.......

At the same time, I am asking to myself what the identity of us is repeatedly.

Her suggestion may be the simplest way to let people who are not from Japan know that our merchandise are proudly MADE IN KYOTO, and its added value/quality behind us.

However, I wonder if the very subtle sense of beauty and understated value and quality we have could be lost in her direct way to show it visually, and that is what I am afraid most.

I was impressed by her proposal that she has considered the effects of visual merchandising scientifically. I could see the practical, not sensuous or emotional solutions for the problems that she pointed out in our Kyoto and Tokyo shops.

We, all staff from Akihiko Izukura are proud of ourselves to provide the international value through what we create in Kyoto. As the real significance of "Internationality" is now shifting from the Western standard to the Global level, the sense of worth is also shifting from making products to sell everywhere to making something different and original, and sell them for the very right market, in other words, to be the one and only in the world.

I would like to say…that differences/originality can make us separate from others in the international market and it will be the deep meaning of the added value/quality to our brand identity.

Honestly, I have been vacillating terribly to give the clear decision…
however, I will definitely get to the best answer after a couple of days considering by myself…