In January 2015, a fashion shoot took place at SANDWICH, a platform run by Kyoto-based sculptor Kohei Nawa. The model was Mona Matsuoka. Photographer Chikashi Suzuki shot her in real life alongside a 4.8m-tall artwork of Matsuoka created by Nawa. Matsuoka was arguably the most successful Japanese model of 2014. We spoke to her about her work as a model shortly after the shoot.

She has made remarkable progress in the past few years. There were two turning points: "Being affiliated with the modeling agency 'image' and being chosen as the muse for the remodeling of the Isetan Shinjuku store." "I first met photographer Kishin Shinoyama two years ago when we were shooting visuals for the Isetan remodel. Kishin is a bit of a perverted old man (lol), but he's also incredibly skilled at bringing out the best in women. He only takes a few shots per shot, so it's a very speedy shoot. But when I saw the finished product, I realized that even though it was a short time, he'd actually put a lot of thought into the composition and other aspects of the shoot," she recalls.

After joining Image, she began to receive more work overseas. Then, for the Spring/Summer 2014 season, when she turned 16 and was eligible to appear in international brand collection shows, she walked the runways of renowned brands such as KENZO, CHANEL, and MIUMIU. The whole world got to see her dignifiedly strut her stuff across the stage.

Once the collection season began, she embarked on a month-long, grueling schedule, traveling from country to country, auditions, and catwalks. As a professional model, she pays careful attention to her diet, skincare, and maintaining her physique in unfamiliar places. She regularly moisturizes her skin and eats organic foods. "I've started eating kale recently. I love the kale salad at THREE CAFE in Aoyama, and sometimes I cook my own meals using vegetables I find at the farmers market." ■ Never give up on yourself She says that when it comes to modeling, "the preparation time before the show is crucial." A runway show is only about 15 minutes long, with nearly 50 looks appearing. For each model, the moment they walk is as fleeting as a glance. The tension in that moment is immeasurable. How does she control her mental state? "The thought that the people I love are watching gives me strength. For example, it's an opportunity to catch the eye of Anna Wintour, and many other people, such as famous editors and photographers, come to see me, so knowing that they're watching gives me the strength to do my best," she says, revealing a glimpse of her strong will.

When asked which woman she admires as an artist, she said, "I've admired Kiko Mizuhara since I was in elementary school. I also respect Charlotte Gainsbourg. I also fell in love with Erika Sawajiri, who I recently shot with. She's a wonderful woman with a real sense of humanity, and I was happy to be able to talk to her naturally." She shared an anecdote from the shoot.

We look forward to seeing more of Matsuoka's future success. She herself said with a smile, but with a firm tone, "I'm looking forward to seeing how much I can stand up to myself." She concluded by saying, "If I have time, I'd like to try new things as much as possible. I'm studying so that I can do a variety of jobs in the future."