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2018.11.28 update

[Christmas Special] Our X'mas Stories | Vol.1 Emi Shinozaki (Flower Artist)（1/2）


Isetan Men's Net's Christmas project, " 2018 ISETAN MEN'S Presents 'Our X'mas Stories' ," aims to liven up the Christmas season in 2018. It will introduce the individual "Christmas stories" of six women active in various fields.


Megumi Shinozaki
edenworks
With a unique sensibility, she discovers the possibilities of flowers and creates flower-related works using plants and various items, from store decorations and window displays to magazines, advertisements, music videos, and product packaging. In 2015, she opened the flower shop "edenworks bedroom" in Yoyogi-Uehara. Furthermore, in 2017, she started the paper flower project "PAPEREDEN." She also opened "EW.Pharmacy," a dried flower shop in Oku-Shibuya that offers original mixes based on the concept of compounding at a pharmacy.

Flower artist Emi Shinozaki, who garnered attention this spring for decorating Mitsukoshi Isetan's "Flower Festival" campaign with beautiful flowers, will celebrate her 10th anniversary next year since establishing her own business, 'edenworks,' in 2009. This Christmas, she searched for gifts for those who have supported her over the past 10 years at Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building .


Wa1

What does Christmas mean to you?

As you might imagine, Christmas is the busiest time of year for florists. After the 25th, there's no time to rest as we prepare for New Year's. Four or five years ago, there was a demand for new and innovative ways to express Christmas, such as using blue flowers, but in the last two or three years, it seems like the more traditional Christmas style has returned. It will be 10 years since I became independent next year, and I've come to realize that flower trends change just like fashion trends.

I love Christmas. From around the end of November, when Christmas songs start playing in the streets and department store and shop windows are decorated for Christmas, I get excited no matter how old I get. In my family, both my parents worked, and my brother and I also had part-time jobs when we were students, so all four of us were busy, but we always got together, dressed up, and went out on special occasions like birthdays, Father's Day, Mother's Day, and Christmas. Even though we were all busy on a daily basis, we were a family that really valued special occasions, and Christmas was a day when we were guaranteed to receive presents.

I give my parents something every year for Christmas and their birthdays. I'm still proud that we're a family that celebrates these important milestones.

Question 2

What are some memorable Christmas episodes and presents you've received?

My Christmas memories are all about log-shaped cakes. As a child, I was fascinated by the tree shape, and I loved how cute they looked. It was a Buche de Noël from an old-fashioned confectionery shop near my childhood home, and I looked forward to it every year. Now that I'm in Tokyo, I sometimes find myself thinking, "I wish I could eat that Buche de Noël again."

When it comes to memories of gifts... I'm always so happy when there's a message card or a handwritten letter included. These days, we send messages via email and LINE, so opportunities to write handwritten letters have decreased, but a message attached to a gift makes it an unforgettable memory, doesn't it?
At my parents' house, my mother loves writing letters, and she often includes a message with gifts. I keep them forever. I also enjoy writing by hand, so I try to imitate my mother and always add a short message to gifts. Letters are great because you can express things in writing that you might be too shy to say out loud.

The gift I was happiest to receive was a wallet my husband gave me for Christmas two years ago. I really like it, and although it's supposed to be good to change your wallet every year, I've been using it all this time.
My parents have always cherished the gifts I've given them, and that's what it means to develop an attachment to something. In this age of abundance, it's wonderful to have things that you cherish and use for a long time. I want to be like my parents.


Test3

Please tell me about the gift you chose at Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building .

This year's Christmas presents will be for my father and my work partner. My father is in his 60s but still loves his job and works up a sweat on site in his work clothes, but he always dresses up when we go out to eat and is more particular about fashion than my mother. I'm a shy person, but my father had a big influence on me to start working independently and being in front of people, so I wanted to give him a present to commemorate the 10th anniversary of my company next year.

The other gift is for my important partner who has been supporting 'edenworks' all this time. I met him when I was working part-time at Ota Market shortly after I became independent, because I wanted to learn about flower distribution. He joined edenworks a few years later. Depending on the project, we also create ceiling decorations and large sets, so it's a job that requires male hands. We've worked together hand in hand since the difficult times after I became independent. He's a very reliable partner.

What message does NEXT's Shinozaki Emi want to convey to the two of them?

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