In recent years, "standard" items have been in the spotlight. Magazines have featured standard items, and even in Japan, web magazines showcasing high-quality staples have been launched.

Society, which has experienced economic instability and unprecedented natural disasters, is rethinking what is truly necessary and perhaps finding value in a simple lifestyle.

Against this backdrop, Isetan Mitsukoshi decided to pursue simple quality with its original brand, "BPQC." The company is rebranding the brand, hiring Kaie Murakami, president of SIMONE INC., as creative director.

Murakami, who previously worked at Issey Miyake, has worked on numerous corporate branding consulting projects both domestically and internationally, and has also attracted attention as the founder of the "SAVE JAPAN! PROJECT." What kind of chemistry was created by teaming up a department store with a long history and tradition with a pioneering creative director? We spoke to him. -What did you focus on when taking on the branding challenge for "BPQC"? This rebranding project was based on the DNA of BPQC as a lifestyle brand established by Mr. Fujimaki (the late Yukio Fujimaki, who founded BPQC in 2000), while updating everything from design to sales methods to suit the current era. The first step was to discuss with our staff, "What do society and our customers really need today?" from all angles, including price, quality, and taste, amidst the current cries of mass consumption worldwide. This trend also means sincerely confronting the fundamental issues inherent in this industry, but it is unavoidable. Is there any point in offering cheap, attractive clothing that customers will no longer wear next year? Furthermore, won't being swept up in this trend affect the dignity of both those providing the clothing and the customers themselves? We felt it was necessary to clearly articulate Mitsukoshi Isetan's unique approach to these questions through "BPQC." - Did you use any reference points when incorporating the "Isetan Mitsukoshi unique way of thinking" into the items? I was deeply impressed by the history of Isetan Mitsukoshi and the stories of its customers I heard from Managing Director Matsuo, who is leading this project, and from Mr. Nishimura of the Advertising Department, with whom I have worked on campaigns for Isetan Mitsukoshi. The inspiration came from the "Yamanote" sensibility that combines elegance and chic. It inspired me to imagine what kind of brand the modern girls and boys of the Showa era would prefer if they were replaced with the modern generation. I also think that my personal memories of being taken to Isetan by my mother almost every week as a child had a major influence on the vibe, or spirit, of the BPQC brand. In reality, since I'm working on an original Isetan Mitsukoshi brand, I'm utilizing all of the company's assets, including the insights of the company's buyers, the vast amount of data they've accumulated, and their connections with the production factories they work with. On top of that, in order to firmly establish the core of the brand, we spent time first bringing all possibilities to the table and then eliminating them. BPQC is a brand that proposes high-quality standards, and it must be the standard, the benchmark, and the foundation for Mitsukoshi Isetan.

Continued on 2/2.