Public eye #13

Nozomi Kobayashi, Public Relations

Is your top all one piece?
NK: Yep. [Laughs] I bought it at Gaultier. I’m really into it at the moment.

Your hair is really black. Is that part of your look?
NK: It’s such a pain when your hair starts growing back after you dye it. Around the time I started dyeing my hair black everyone was colouring their hair. I caused some grief by asking my hairdresser to ‘please make my hair golden’. Since then, I’ve had black hair for five or six years straight. That said, recently I got an undercut and I did try putting in some gold highlights.

Sorry to keep talking about your fashion, but your bracelet is cool, too.
NK: This piece is made by Taiwanese designer, Connie. It’s not made to order, but it is a one-off. I got at a store in Yoyogi Hachiman called Herbparis.

What’s around your neck?
NK: A scarf from India. [Laughs] I got it mail order.

Do you work around here? What do you do?
NK: My workplace is at the top of these stairs – I work in the office of landscape designer, Eiki Danzuka, doing public relations. My job also has a management aspect to it so it’s pretty fun. I originally studied architecture and interior design at art school. I have been working in Danzuka’s office for a year now. It’s been great to get back into the world of architecture and design through my work. Design is really so different from art. Recently, I have been starting to see again how interesting the world is.

Are there any designers you are interested in at the moment?
NK: I am interested in architect, Tomoyuki Sakakida. He was born in 1976 so he is still pretty young, but he is a really scrupulous person. He is the kind of architect who can take some romantic ideal, think about what needs to be done to make it real and work towards doing it. Danzuka has even said that he will definitely be famous.

Is there anyone else?
NK: There is place called Torafu Associates that is run by Koichi Suzuno and Shinya Kamuro. They are really interesting people. The other day I went to their exhibition in Roppongi. They have a really flexible mindset and the two of them talking a lot left good impression on me. I’m really interested in them.

Can you recommend anywhere to eat around here for lunch?
NK: A lot of places finish lunch at around three o’clock, so I usually just buy something at a shop that sells prepared meals in the Hiroo shopping street. I also often go to Maui Coffee Roasters, too. It has a Hawaiian feel to it; I really like it because I can just chill out there.

I go there a lot too! Next time let’s sit and have a chat.
NK: [Laughs]

More from Nozomi:

‘It’s not like I am attached to work, it’s just a part of daily life. While I think it is tough working from morning to night, when I get to go home a little early, sometimes I don’t know what to do with myself.’

‘If my boyfriend said, “Let’s get married and live together,” I would have to think about it, but if he said, “Let’s live in Hawaii,” or “Let’s live in Alaska,” I reckon I would be there in a flash.’ [Laughs]

‘Right over there is MA2 Gallery. I always check it out when they have an exhibition.’