Interviews with Kaoru Mizuno

We are involved in seamless design work, from graphics to spaces, with a focus on packaging, including CI/VI. Our mission is not only to look good, but also to ‘accompany the user's life and maximise the value of the brand’.

Things that enrich our lives.

Brand logo design and packaging design.
I like the process of incorporating the brand's philosophy into the design.

A design that is not doing anything special but has a strong presence.

Graphic design for a private museum, including the catalogue of an exhibition.

When our design sparks a lively conversation with the client.

Does it properly reflect the client's philosophy and message?

Lots of anticipation and a little anxiety.

Great. Even better if the end user is happy and it sells even better.

Thought.
If it is well thought out and the essence is grasped,
I can design all the way to the end without hesitation.

In an abstract way, whether the dots are connected to form a line.

Never use negative expressions that could attack or bring down anyone or anything in particular.

With the advent of AI and various apps, it has gradually lost its previous specialisation,
It is now possible for anyone to easily give shape to their images.

none in particular

Various things from nature.

We focus on simplicity, but with an emphasis on ‘blending into everyday life and being loved for a long time’.
We seek beauty that fits in with the user's life, rather than eccentric design.

Japan. There are many influences.
Wabisabi and Zen spirit have a lot to offer in terms of design approach.
The disadvantage is that I'm not very good at bold and eccentric design approaches, which is probably a national trait.

Basically, I only handle the phases that require creative work and expertise,
The manager handles most of the interaction with the client.
This allows us to build a flatter relationship.

This seems like a difficult question to me.

Basically, we spend almost as much time thinking as we do working on the design.
Everything else is constantly fluctuating from project to project.

Rembrandt paper house I bought in Amsterdam
Sony speakers (LSPX-S3)
A coffee cup from HASAMI PORCELAIN
Normann Copenhagen wall clock
rOtring600 ballpoint pen

Nothing special.

Take care of your clients.

The loss of the borderline between work and private life,
Both a plus and a minus.

There is no set one.

The ability to be organised.

Pens and sketchbooks. I always use certain items.

I have a manager who takes care of it.

It depends on the client's scheduling.
If there is no set time, there seems to be no end...

Everything I have experienced at Curiosity.

Cosmetics Company and Food Company.

Brand logo design and packaging design.
I like the process of incorporating the brand's philosophy into the design.

Promotional projects in the city where I live now.

So far it has mostly been the latter, but in the future I plan to co-create with a team.

Please feel free to contact us at the following email.
contact@mo-ther.jp

This was also inspired by one of Chandon's important principles.The sharp foam texture is a very important element for the brand, we thought it would be most desirable to merge it with the elegant and sharp form of the fan.

We visited the region, but this project has a more Japanese element to it.We needed to combine it with French cultural elements, not Australian, there was almost no work to link it to Australian cultural elements.

The theme of this design is a fusion of the Heian period and modern times.There are many tanka poems from the Heian period in which women are the main characters, and they are very modern.I set up the characters with the aim of creating a stronger fusion with the modern world.

The fusion of the Heian period and the present day was important, but the theme of the fusion of France and Japan was also very important.It was important to validate the Japanese side as well as the French side, so we spent a lot of time trying to land the balance between all of them in the best position.

We did not try to faithfully convey the historical and cultural background, but sought the optimum balance to create a certain lightness and reach modern consumers by adding more fictional elements.

I'm not sure specifically, but for me personally, I'm very happy if there are more opportunities to make Japanese culture as interesting as possible.

The seasonal setting of spring started when the brand linked the pink of Chandon Rosé with the pink of Japanese cherry blossoms.The keyword spring was very important for this project and needed to be emphasised, so we used an easily recognisable item - a fan - to represent the prism of light.

Enjoying sake (alcoholic beverages) during Hanami is one of Japan's traditional events and is very popular among the younger generation.We have designed the product with a stronger sense of the event in order to reach this relatively younger generation, so I believe that there are more opportunities for them to pick up the product.

I'm not really sure how it will turn out, but the attempt to combine the brand's philosophy with its cultural background was a very meaningful challenge for me personally, and I would like to try it again if another opportunity arises.