A new story unfolds from the fashion and lifestyle of Lupin III and the custom of men giving flowers to women on Valentine's Day—a Flower Valentine talk show titled "Lupin III and Italian Flower Giving from a Fashion Perspective," featuring Flower Valentine Ambassador Yoshimasa Hoshiba and Yoichiro Maeda, editor-in-chief of the men's fashion magazine "LEON," was held at the "Isetan 130th Anniversary ISETAN x Lupin III LUPINISSIMO IN ISETAN 2016" event.


Is Lupin a frivolous gentleman?

Yoshimasa Hoshiba (hereinafter, Hoshiba) : There are so many people here, and the venue is really lively. Lupin III is really popular, isn't he?
Yoichiro Maeda (hereinafter, Maeda): Until 2005, Mr. Hoshiba was the fashion director of the magazine "LEON," and I have been in charge of it for the past 10 years, from 2006 until now. But from the very beginning of the magazine's founding, we had the image of Lupin in mind.
Hoshiba: That's right. As you all know, Girolamo Panzetta looks like Lupin. He was born in Italy, but even in Naples, you don't often see someone that handsome.
Maeda Girolamo really did resemble him, especially in the early days. Actually, Italian men tend to have big faces and stocky bodies. That's one of the good things about Italians, though (laughs). Girolamo is popular with women in France too; he's a true international man. I hear Hoshiba likes Lupin, right?


I'm a huge fan of Hoshiba . I love his flashy, carefree attitude. Just like Girolamo, Lupin is truly an international man.
Maeda: That's true. In today's world, where everything has to be right, I admire the idea that even if you're frivolous like Lupin, as long as you have a strong core in the end, all the processes leading up to it are OK!
Hoshiba is a flashy, gentlemanly guy (lol).
Maeda: Even though he has Fujiko (Mine), in the new series currently airing, he's courting a different woman (laughs). But the reason no one blames Lupin is because his actions are forgiven based on the premise that he must have a stronger core somewhere inside him.
Hoshiba: And when it's time to get serious, he gets serious—that's cool. I love Lupin in "The Castle of Cagliostro," and the ending of that story is really heartwarming. It's heartwarming and full of humanity, and that's where the true essence of Lupin lies.


What's the secret behind Lupin's styling?

What makes Maeda Lupin's style cool is that he wears a jacket that emphasizes his shoulders, a narrow tie, slim pants, and boots that accentuate his slender ankles. All of these things create a cool, masculine aura. Fujiko has a tight waist and a voluminous bust and hips, making her very glamorous, but if you were to express masculine glamour, it would be a style like Lupin's.
Hoshiba: That's right. Actually, Maeda has incredibly beautiful legs, like "Lupin legs."

Maeda : No, no, I never thought I'd hear something like that from Hoshiba-kun (laughs). The slimmest part of a person is the ankle, and even sumo wrestlers aren't twice as wide as me, so body type doesn't really make a difference. So, emphasizing that slimmest part is the key to making your legs look nice. I have a pretty big waist, but I make an effort to do that by wearing boots and things like that.
With a well-defined style like Mr. Hoshiba and Mr. Maeda's, you can create a Lupin-esque atmosphere.


The most memorable flower gift of my life

Maeda: By the way, Valentine's Day on February 14th is fast approaching. Hoshiba, are you still giving flowers to women as usual?
This is my fourth year as an ambassador for Hoshiba Flower Valentine's Day. Of course, I send flowers. How about you, Maeda-san?
Maeda once gave flowers to a woman and she was very pleased. I was having a business dinner with three women in Milan, and when I went outside to smoke a cigarette, a flower seller came by.
Milano Hoshiba comes around selling flowers near famous restaurants.
Maeda: Normally I would decline, but I remembered that it was the birthday of one of the three of them, so I bought two white roses and one red rose and went back to the table to give them to them, and they were so happy that it surprised me. That was quite a surprise.
Hoshiba: Japanese men shouldn't be shy about this, right? (laughs)
Maeda, that's so true. If it's subtle, do it subtly; if it's ostentatious, do it ostentatiously. When giving flowers, it's okay to be a little cheesy.


The motto is, "If you can't say it with words, say it with flowers."

Hoshiba : Men look cool when they're holding flowers. Men wear all sorts of accessories, but the coolest look is when a man is holding flowers. Also, Italian men carry gelato too (laughs).
Maeda in a suit and gelato, huh? (laughs)
Girolamo Hoshiba once said, "If you can't say it with words, say it with flowers."
Maeda is so cool.
Every flower has a meaning associated with it, doesn't it? I'm entrusting it to that meaning.
Maeda: As expected, Girolamo is a true "Leon" at heart. The important thing is not to think, "It wouldn't suit me to give him flowers."


Since Hoshiba flowers are living things, they will eventually disappear over time, but the memory of giving them as a gift will definitely remain.
Maeda: That's right. Don't be embarrassed, don't think it's cheesy, just casually give flowers. Give them when you think, "This person is wonderful." Just give them flowers to show your respect for the other person. And if you become popular as a result, that's even better.
Hoshiba: In Japan, Valentine's Day is generally known as "a day when women express their love to men with chocolate," but around the world, Valentine's Day is "a day when men and women express their love and gratitude to each other." So, men, don't be shy, and try giving women red roses on Valentine's Day.
Maeda , all the men, please send flowers as if you were Lupin.

Yoshimasa Hoshiba <br />Editor-in-Chief of the web magazine "FORZA STYLE" / Fashion Director. He is also well-known for his appearances on fashion check segments on television programs and is active in a wide range of fields beyond the confines of media. His first book, "The Book You Should Read Before Looking at Fashion Magazines," is scheduled to be published on April 15th.
http://gendai.ismedia.jp/list/forzastyle

Yoichiro Maeda
Editor-in-Chief of the magazine "LEON". While in university, she worked as a writer for a fashion magazine. After graduation, she worked for a major interior architecture and design company before joining Shodensha Co., Ltd. in 1994, where she was involved with "Boon," a pioneering street magazine. She spearheaded numerous trends, including Air Max, vintage clothing, and G-Shock. From 2006, she worked for Shufu to Seikatsu Sha Co., Ltd., where, after serving as deputy editor-in-chief, she assumed her current position in 2011.
http://www.leon.jp/

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