Chuokoronsha also had a magazine called Fujin Koron aimed at women seeking innovative lifestyles, with a feature in the front pages that reported on the latest trends in fashion. However, publishing Marie Claire required a professional with in-depth knowledge of the fashion industry. The third editor-in-chief, Kazuhiko Shirai, decided to seek fashion guidance from the late Kozasu Atsuko, a cutting-edge journalist who had left the Isetan Research Institute and made her debut in the media. Kozasu Atsuko responded by using her natural agility and insight to capture the latest trends in the fashion world. She interviewed Jean Paul Gaultier, who was still relatively unknown in Japan, as well as Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto, who were beginning to make their presence felt at Paris Fashion Week, and reported on 1980s fashion from a unique perspective. When Karl Lagerfeld took over as Chanel's designer in 1983 and Chanel's business in Japan began to flourish, Koyubi was one of the first to plan a special feature on Coco Chanel, delving into the essence of Chanel. Naturally, the fashion pages featured Karl's latest Chanel style. The following Christian Dior feature photographed dresses from Monsieur Dior's time that had been preserved at the house as the centerpiece of the Dior story, bringing them back to life in the modern era with styling by Mako Yamazaki of the French magazine Marie Claire. At a time when Japanese people were often mocked for being "brand-obsessed," this major feature delved into the appeal of the brand and highlighted its identity, enlightening readers (consumers). Furthermore, Yumiko Hara, who had become a freelance stylist after departing from the fashion director position at Elle Japon, launched a serial fashion column, solidifying the magazine's solid foundation. There's one other person who's unforgettable when talking about Marie Claire at the time. Yasuhara Akira (deceased) came to the editorial department of Marie Claire after the literary magazine Umi (Sea) was discontinued. Muramatsu Tomomi, who left Chuokoron-Shinsha to become a writer, wrote about Yasuhara Akira in his book Yasuhara no Umi (Yasuken's Sea) (Gentosha): "The book review section of Marie Claire, in particular, was imbued with the colors of Umi, and despite its intimidating appearance, it became the core of the magazine. It was Yasusuken's great achievement that resulted in Marie Claire attracting male readers. Only Yasusuken could have come up with the idea for a book review section like this, and the lineup of works and authors was one that only Yasusuken could have put together." Even men were drawn to popular features like the "Special Feature: The Pleasure of Reading - The 700 Best Genre Book Guides" series, including the "Pleasure Series," planned and edited by Yasuhara Akira; the "Century's Roundtable Discussion on Films with Nagaharu Yodogawa, Shigehiko Hasumi, and Koichi Yamada" series; and Banana Yoshimoto's "TUGUMI" series (which sold over 2 million copies when published in book form). Some young women at the time were convinced that the most fashionable way to dress was to cut off the male gaze, refusing to be swayed by trends, and instead seeking fashion as a tool for self-expression. This uniquely edgy fashion magazine, unlike any other in the world, defined an era with its unique style. While fashion magazines typically have both a stated circulation and an actual sales figure, the stated circulation figure tends to take on a life of its own. At the time, Marie Claire recorded actual sales of 80,000 copies.

References
Yasuken's Sea, by Tomomi Muramatsu (published by Gentosha)

(Continued on 11/12. "Eco Maricle," editor-in-chief Yoshiko Ikoma.)