Matsuura's salon, 'Twiggy,' celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. The launch of this series was also sparked by the product development that began around this milestone. What Matsuura herself wanted to convey through "hairstyling" as a form of fashion is the sentiment she has refined over 20 years of work, and it also serves to realize an ideal future that many artists are now beginning to pursue.

—Your discussion at the end of our last conversation about the commune you envision was very striking. It bears some resemblance to the actions of the 1970s hippie generation.

Indeed, taking action for our own happiness does echo the 1970s hippies. However, it feels like half of those 70s hippies were swept away by the 1980s bubble without seeing their original intentions through. They rode the bubble, so to speak... Since we can no longer expect a bubble to arrive, I believe a mindset similar to that generation's unfulfilled aspirations is becoming increasingly necessary. We can no longer measure "affluence" by material possessions.

Everyone is already aware of the crisis regarding food. We are now at a stage where each individual must start with what they can do right in front of them. This realization led me to take action in growing rice and vegetables, which in turn led to products for hair. Yet, the politicians who govern the country... take the policy of reducing rice production, which directly impacts rice farmers, for example; I don't believe they are looking ahead to Japan's future food security. This makes me think that perhaps we, the people actually living in this country, must take action ourselves for them to even consider it.
—You've also drawn a lot of inspiration from the people you've met through your work.

It's not just about listening to "organic gurus." Conversations with people in professions like chefs, beauticians, and designers who have their own distinct lifestyles and are advancing their own products offer many discoveries. It's not about whether they are stoic in their pursuits, nor whether they are "right." It's about people who are clear about *why* they are doing what they do.

For instance, I had the opportunity to speak with Yuri Nomura, the food director of the restaurant 'iri' in Yoyogi-Uehara and director of the film 'Eatrip.' She serves dishes based on macrobiotic research at her restaurant. Yet, on the other hand, her menu also includes hearty meat dishes and sashimi. I truly admire her sensibility. It's similar to our shampoo, you see. Despite being well-known in her field, she is reportedly studying again at a traditional macrobiotic restaurant in the United States. She says she wants to relearn the mindset of the people who create, rather than just the culinary techniques.

Candle artist Candle JUNE told me he has more he wants to do than simply teach people how to make candles. Candles, when lit, require no "electricity." So, he carries his candles around the world, lighting them in places affected by tragedies like 9/11 or where people feel emotional pain, giving them meaning through this act.

Twiggy | TWIGGY

Vol.13: What Lies Beyond Product Development (Part 2)

—These real-life experiences, the encounters and connections with people, are truly like opening new doors.

When I've been doing the same job for years and start to feel bored... I think that feeling of boredom arises because I myself am not changing, not growing. So, if I can keep my own metabolism going, I can continue doing it without getting bored. For me, this metabolism comes through encounters with people and things, and by engaging more than just my five senses.

The stories from the experts I've met through my products are also fascinating, especially from researchers who have dedicated decades to studying skin and hair. The content is almost like the world of fetishists (laughs). I don't understand everything they say. But when I think about the incredible work these people have done, it feels like a waste to end my career and lifestyle without learning from their wisdom... and I suspect many others feel the same way.

—Do people who are interested in organic living share a similar mindset? In terms of their way of life and lifestyle...

Not at all. They're all over the place (laughs). That's one of the interesting things I've found over 20 years. So, even if a customer says, "I'm interested in organic things lately," I respect their "pace of learning" and don't pry. I just try to gauge where they are so they don't lose their own rhythm... This also translates into an intuition, like, "Ah, they've developed this much, so this hairstyle would suit them now." It might sound strange, but I feel that everything I do—hairstyles, products, growing vegetables, growing rice—is all connected within me, and I believe people are the same (laughs).

—With Twiggy reaching its 20th anniversary, is this also a turning point for you, Matsuura?

In my twenties and thirties, all these things were separate, but perhaps now I'm entering a phase of trying to connect them. I wish for what we do to expand further and further. If I can't do it alone, I should join hands with others. Therefore, my ideal form is a commune where people with diverse creative sensibilities resonate and gather. It resembles the ideal of the 1970s hippie villages, an ideal that likely existed back then, but it's a dream I vaguely envision. Of course, it's a more "learned" and "evolved" form...

I want to say, "Let's lead the trends from ourselves from now on. Let's believe in ourselves that much." Wouldn't it be interesting if everyone could confidently say, "I'm wearing what suits me best today; this is my trend"? I believe that would definitely create fashion... and culture. And it would create art. In my case, by growing vegetables and rice, I've further learned about organic living and have come to understand its benefits and risks... I suppose that's it.