The pop-up store "Bijo," themed "Japanese beauty secrets," is running until December 23rd in the Marais district of Paris. "Bijo" is an acronym for the French words Beaute (beauty), Innovatrice (innovative), Japonaise (Japan), and Originale (originality). With the theme of "innovative beauty unique to Japan," the project promotes modern Japanese beauty, health, and lifestyle to enrich everyday life. The venue is Atelier Blancs Manteaux, a gallery and concept store that has hosted various exhibitions, including those for Beams Japan and Imabari Towel, since its opening in 2015. Participating brands include SUWADA, a nail nipper manufacturer also used at the CHANEL spa at the Hotel Ritz; Makanai Cosmetics, a Japanese cosmetics brand founded in 1899 as a gold leaf manufacturer; and uka, a total beauty salon already popular in Paris and stocked at Colette and Bon Marché. The project is produced by Yoshiko Suyama, president of Designs, a French consulting firm that helps Japanese beauty brands enter the European market. The project was initiated by the Asian beauty boom in France. Imported skincare products from Japan, Korea, and China are now lined up in Asian sections in major department stores and select shops. However, seeing firsthand the current situation where Asian countries are lumped together without understanding the unique beauty cultures of each country, she conceived this project to promote Japan's unparalleled beauty brands.

In particular, the layering method, which involves applying each step separately, has impressed the French, who consider skincare extremely simple and time-saving. The pop-up store was a huge success, with many positive reactions. Suyama commented, "Taking time to touch and feel your skin with your hands and taking time to 'take care of yourself' - relaxing - may be what French women need right now, as they are feeling anxious about terrorism and the economic recession."

The store plans to hold regular themed pop-up stores in the future to convey new aspects of beauty, such as Japanese aesthetic sense, lifestyle, traditional culture, and mental care.

[Event Information]
"Atelier Blancs Manteaux x Bijot"
Address: 38 Rue des Blancs Manteaux 75004 Paris
Opening Hours: Tuesday - Friday 12:00-19:00
Saturday 11:30-19:30
Closed: Sunday, Monday, and Public Holidays