"Zi Zai Kun Yuan, all living things are in harmony with the sky." Shiseido (Shiseido) is one of the oldest beauty companies in Japan, with a history of more than 150 years. Its name comes from the ancient Chinese book – I Ching, which means " All things arise from nature." Shiseido's genes are inseparable from Japanese culture and spirit. It loves and supports art, and its continuous pursuit of integrating Eastern philosophy and advanced science has created many outstanding research and development results. Shiseido firmly believes that true beauty begins in nature and adheres to the precious traditions passed down from generation to generation, embodying the unique and timeless beauty of Japan.
Shiseido owns many luxury skin care and beauty brands, including Clé de Peau Beauté, the eponymous brand Shiseido, etc. Elaine Shigeishi, Vice President of Shiseido (Canada), has more than 35 years of experience in the beauty industry, specializing in sales, marketing, public relations and training. She joined Shiseido in 2007 and actively promotes cooperation between enterprises and local art institutions, including the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), Toronto's annual event Nuit Blanche, Japan Canadian Cultural Center (JCCC), etc., through organizing Various cultural and artistic activities enrich people's lives. In an exclusive interview with "Supreme", she shared with us her years of industry experience, the future direction of the beauty industry, and Japan's traditional New Year's Day celebration customs.
When talking about why she joined the beauty industry, Shigeishi said frankly that she first entered this field by accident. Recalling the summer after her senior year of college, she interned in the sales department at the Eaton Center. After staying there for a while, she was eager to try jobs in other departments, so she asked the company for a transfer. As a result, she was assigned to the perfume department, responsible for inputting all Christmas orders. After her internship ended, she decided to continue working there part-time, which is where her passion for the beauty industry developed. As for staying there for more than 35 years, she emphasized that it was because of her love for this industry. The beauty industry is always changing, and with new products, promotions and promotions every year, the pace is fast and exciting. In addition, this industry is built on strong relationships with customers and requires constant innovation and new market strategies. Such vitality makes her never want to leave.
Promoting Japanese culture in Canada
Shigeishi has been with Shiseido for more than 16 years and believes the company’s vision is consistent with its values. She said: "Shiseido's mission is to create a better world through beauty. I am proud to truly implement the company's vision through organizing various activities. In 2017, we launched a campaign in Canada called Share Beauty ) campaign, which encourages people to write a card for someone they cherish and create unforgettable moments. This campaign is still going on today, and more than 10,000 cards have been sent out, with many touching stories that brought tears to the eyes. As time goes by, I have also seen changes in people's values. Before the epidemic, we saw a lot of messages about anti-bullying and appreciating one's own beauty; during the epidemic, more messages about unity and cohesion appeared, and we are happy that these positive energies have come through. This is the most meaningful achievement of my working life and it brings more kindness to the world.”
"Omotenashi" is the ultimate Japanese hospitality tradition that emphasizes anticipating and meeting guests' needs before they are aware of them, and treating guests with warmth. Shigeishi said that in Canada, they promote this spirit of hospitality and regard it as a responsibility to care for society, which is reflected in diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. She added: "Shiseido embodies the many facets of Japanese culture. Our origins can be traced back to Ginza, Tokyo, when Japan was opening up to the world and the beginning of the innovative path of founder Arinobu Fukuhara. He was educated in the United States Education, through Shiseido, allows Western culture and Eastern culture to meet. In addition to the spirit of hospitality, our corporate mission is also reflected in our investment in innovative scientific research and environmental conservation, and we shoulder the mission of building a better world.”
She continued that Shiseido is committed to attracting outstanding talents and providing growth opportunities. Currently, 58% of women in Shiseido International hold leadership positions, while in Japan, 37% of women hold senior positions, of which 40% serve as board members or auditors. The company's goal is to achieve 50% gender equality in Shiseido Japan by 2030, leading society to make progress in gender equality. She said: "According to one statistic, only 3% of Mitsubishi Bank's senior management are women, which allows us to imagine that they still have a long way to go in achieving gender equality." As for sustainable development, she mentioned that Shiseido It has achieved the goal of zero waste to landfill (Zero Waste) in 2022, and plans to achieve carbon neutrality by 2026. It is also committed to reducing water consumption by 40% by 2026, with the base year being 2014.
The beauty industry is constantly changing, with many new trends emerging. Shigeishi pointed out, “The recent mainstream trend is skinification (Skinification), which integrates the properties and technologies of skin care products into beauty products. However, Shiseido has always focused on skin care products and is a leader in the skin care market. status, we instead focus on skin care products that have beauty effects.” Looking to the future, she predicts that the market will continue to see the integration of skin care and beauty technologies. In addition, she revealed that Shiseido Canada is working with an artificial intelligence company to develop a beauty consultation tool that will help understand users’ beauty goals and skin conditions and recommend the most suitable products based on this information. It is expected to be launched in the next one to two months. Officially launched within.
Japanese New Year's Day traditions and customs
When asked how she celebrates New Year's Day, Shigeishi, a third-generation Japanese-Canadian, said New Year's Day is her favorite time. "It's a time where I can reflect on past achievements and learnings while building hope for the future. When I was growing up, the Japanese would celebrate New Year's Day by making traditional foods and wishing each other a happy new year and good luck. We will too Visiting the homes of different relatives and friends is like an open house," she continued, "I have five or six college classmates who come to my house every year. This tradition has been going on for more than 35 years. Most of them are married. Now, with children, and family members participating, up to 30 people in total, we can’t get together during the epidemic, but my mother continues the tradition of New Year’s dinner in the form of Japanese furoshiki (Japanese furoshiki). Furoshiki) wrapped up and given to them so that we don’t miss out on the celebration every year, seeing everyone change and having more family members participate is the most important part,” she shared.
As for how a luxurious lifestyle is defined, she believes that luxury is reflected in time, health and happiness, and uses this to arrange life priorities and create more precious moments. The epidemic has taught her to pay attention to spiritual care, not just physical health. She believes that happiness comes from gratitude and cherishing those special moments that truly make you feel happy. These moments can be found everywhere and may be small lucky moments.
