What we represent here with the actress Mirei Kiritani is harmony and infinite possibilities created by the intersection of two polar moods,stillness and movement. While such refined strength that emits unshakable power is one of the most important essences, we also want to have a gentle and fiery aspect that is not only tough but also graceful.
The theme of this issue is “strong and flexible,” which means the image of a woman who is not only dignified and strong, but also soft and flexible. What is your ideal image of a woman?
I myself have an ideal of a woman who is strong and cool, with a single-minded core. I hope to become a woman with that kind of atmosphere.
Which costumes were the most impressive for this shoot?
They were all so cute and lovely. The Balenciaga outfit featured on the cover had a leather skirt with a long ribbon of lace on the back like a corset, so I was able to express myself in many different ways during the shoot, and it was very interesting to wear. I don’t usually have opportunities to wear mini dresses, so the Ferragamo look was fresh and impressive. Even though it was mini-length, it was black-colored and based on coolness rather than cuteness, which was a good fit for me.
What kind of fashion do you usually wear?
Pants are by far the most common style for me. I prefer monotone colors, simplicity, and fashion with a slight mode taste. However, since I gave birth, I have been wearing more casual clothes, so I choose my clothes according to the situation. I also try to be conscious of my styling, like even in a casual style, I give it a stylish look by layering and other ways of dressing. I often wear sweat clothes, and just by adding a shirt as an inner layer and showing a little from the hem, or by adding a jacket over it, which changes the atmosphere and makes it look cool.
Are there any fashion items that you are looking out for this summer and the next season?
I often refer to the outfits of international fashionistas such as Hailey Bieber, and lately I see on social media and in snaps that many of them are wearing the mini length. I used to never want to show my knees, but now I began to think that I might be able to try bottoms that were not quite mini, but still just above the knee. Items like capri pants are being revived, and I’m seeing more and more half-length pants, which I have wanted to try on and actually I bought. I also put a lot of effort into my beauty regimen, thinking that I need to have beautiful legs in order to wear them. So up until now, I’ve definitely been a long-length person, but I would like to try to incorporate mini-lengths as well by gradually shortening them!
Are there any other things you usually take care of in beauty?
I’d like to take good care of my skin, so I try to keep it well moisturized. For example, I adopt things that can be done while doing something, like doing household chores while applying face packs, and when I have time, I use a facial massager to massage my face. I also use the help of experts.
Do you have any personal rules that you cannot compromise on?
I always remember to enjoy fashion even in my private life. This might be my personal rule. Even if I don’t have any special plans, I try to wear clothes I like to lift my spirits, and even if they are simple and casual, I try to include some element of fun in them.
What would you like to do when you have plenty of time for yourself?
I would like to go to a resort and spend time doing nothing but relaxing, getting massages, and eating my favorite foods. Even if I go on a trip, my child comes first now, so no matter where I go, I end up mainly visiting leisure facilities such as parks, zoos, and aquariums. I also would like to sleep in the morning, but I have to take actions according to my child’s time schedule, so I would like to relax without thinking about anything. When I went to Hawaii with my friend before, we did nothing but sleep in front of the beautiful blue beach, which was a great experience, and although I got sunburned, it was so comfortable that I didn’t mind.
Isthereany thing you are passionate about?
At night, after my child goes to bed, I spend time watching video streaming services. Recently, I’ve often watched romantic reality shows and audition programs, but there is also time when I get really into Korean dramas. I really enjoy that time, and it motivates me to finish my housework and other chores as soon as possible so that I can watch them!
When do you feel happiest?
It is difficult to decide what’s the best, but it is the time when I see my child sleeping and when I am eating a delicious meal. I like ethnic and spicy foods, but I often cannot eat them when I’m with my child, so when I finish work early and have time to eat my favorite food, I feel very happy (laughs).
Is there anything you would like to newly try?
I enjoy taking cooking classes and discovering new recipes. In the past, I have learned to make Chou farci, a French cabbage roll, Chinese chicken wings simmered in black vinegar, and mashed tofu salad with century eggs etc. All of them were very delicious, and the cooking process itself was interesting, so I would like to try new dishes more and more.
You became an actress and model after being scouted. How did you feel when you were just starting out? Also, what was your childhood like? Were you always interested in the entertainment industry?
I was very shy as a child. I never imagined myself in the limelight, and I had no interest in the entertainment industry at that time. I had just finished the entrance exams and entered high school when I was scouted, so I didn’t really feel it, and the entertainment business was so unknown to me that I didn’t even think about it. Because of this, I initially planned to decline the scouting, but one day, I was contacted by a person who asked me if I would like to come and see a photo shoot, which was for a magazine that one of my seniors at the office was working on at the time, and since I also liked fashion and magazines, I was thrilled to experience that for the first time, seeing how they were shooting. I had promised my parents that I would graduate from high school, but they pushed me to try working in the entertainment industry if that was what I wanted to do, and my career started when I decided to give it a try for just one year.
You are raising a child while working. Do you see any similarities between your own childhood and your son’s? Or do you feel that there are any differences?
Not as much as I do, but my son is also shy, especially around new people, so I wonder if he inherited my personality. My husband has never been like that since he was a child, so we often talk about how different we are. However, my son is not completely like me, and there are many aspects of his personality that are similar to my husband’s, so I feel that he has inherited half of my husband’s personality. I was also a child who was very particular about details, such as not being satisfied with the order of colored pencils unless they were in the order I had decided, and I sometimes think that I am similar to my son in that way (laughs).
Is there a turning point in your life that you feel has changed?
If not in my work, but in my life, it would have to be the birth of my child. My life has changed dramatically since I gave birth to my child, and so many things that I never imagined have happened, which are irreplaceable.
How do you balance childcare, housework, and work?
I strive to manage everything as best as I can, but I know that it is impossible to do everything perfectly. There are some things I can’t do on my own, so I do my best with the help of my husband, parents, and others around me.
Are there any particular challenges among them?
I like cooking, but it is really hard to think up menu for meals every day. I can cook if they request what they want to eat, but it is not like that. Children also have likes and dislikes, and it is not good to have a bias toward only their favorite foods, so even if I think about what I want my son to eat nutritionally, he may not end up eating it. Further, my son wants to eat the same thing for every meal every day, and it is difficult for us to have meals accordingly, so recently I have contrived to cook by making separate meals for adults and a child, making two main dishes and sharing the side dishes, and using common ingredients with slightly different seasonings.
PROFILE Mirei Kiritani, Actress
Born in Chiba on December 16, 1989. She was scouted while still in high school and made her acting debut in 2006 in the film “Haru no Ibasho.” In the same year, she became an exclusive model for the fashion magazine, “Seventeen.” After graduating from the magazine, she continued to work as an exclusive model for the fashion magazine “non- no” and a regular model for the fashion magazine “BAILA,” while also appearing in a number of prominent films as an actress. Her representative works include the movies “Jossy’s” (2014), “Heroine Shikkaku” (2015), “Revenge Girl” (2017), etc. She was the Tuesday newscaster of the news program “NEWS ZERO” from 2012 to 2018, and she has been appointed a newscaster of “news every.”, a news program since March 2024.
Model:MIREI KIRITANI Photography:TON ZHANG(RETUNE Rep) Styling:RYOTA KOUJIRO Hair:MIHO EMORI(ende) Makeup:TAMAYO YAMAMOTO Prop:PROPS NOW Edit&Text:SEIRA MAEHARA