My Journey to Founding a Design Studio at 27, Episode 1

Hello.

Today I will talk about my blog with my own focus.

Kikuchi Self Introduction

Akane Kikuchi works as an art director while managing the design studio KiQ. Currently based in Shibuya, Tokyo.

I started working as a designer from 22 years old.

Art directors are very familiar to you,

In the creative industry, it is used as an extra-popular word.

The meaning is different between Japan and overseas.

In Japan, it is a stand-alone position that defines the direction of the visual part and the world view.

In the movie, it is like a movie director.

The creators of screenwriters and photographers decide the world of theResults, make indicators and check the progress and direction.

In this page, we are always looking for multiple projects every day as a direction and instructed about 100 pieces.

Design Studio

Let’s talk about why Akane Kikuchi launched a design studio.

I had a feeling to be independent from my age of 15.
It was a person who suddenly jumped into what I saw and want to explore from the time.

At that time, I was fascinated by hip-hop on the east coast of the United States, and was attracted by street culture including street art such as graffiti, and studied in New York at the age of 18.

There are many people who are interested in Japan and Japanese.
It was an opportunity to reaffirm the goodness of Japan by knowing that American colleagues were interested in Japanese culture where Japanese people do not know.

On the other hand, I asked a lot of Japanese culture and samurai from friends who met in the United States, but I couldn’t answer clearly.

I studied design after coming to the US, but I realized that I don’t know much about Japan.

There was a feeling that I wanted to be independent in the future, but in order to live as a designer, I realized that there was no solid confidence and expression axis in my own.

I thought I would have to know my background, and I returned home.

After returning to Japan, I saw Japanese traditions and customs.

I learned Japanese culture background while traveling around Japan. I was absorbed by my skin by myself.

It was impressive to hear the story of a ge、 sister in Kanazawa, Kyoto, Akita and Niigata.

I felt that my first ge ‘s sister was beautiful.

Especially, the dance of the ge of flowers was beautiful.

I remember that I was shocked because I never met such people.

In the U.S., there were many things to communicate directly using words rather than body language or gestures, so it is novel to convey my thoughts with thes, and I felt that there is a axis of expression that I want to make.

The encounter with this ge、 leads to my theme,

There was a recent discovery as the axis of the expression of the designer.

After a few years, I will start a design studio.