First Runway Show Held at Shiseido Beauty Park Featuring Skin Accessories for Expanding Self-Expression through Makeup and Fashion

As models began descending the stairs one after another, they walked confidently in front of the audience, adorned in forms of “expanded self-expression” that evoked a sense of the near future. At that moment, they were sharing a new “beauty” experience.

In January, the “Shiseido Beauty Park,” a place where researchers and consumers connect to co-create the future of beauty, opened at the Shiseido Global Innovation Center.

On March 29th, the runway show “Expansion of Self-Expression: What Does It Mean to Adorn Oneself?'” was held for the first time. The show featured “Skin Accessories” as key items—a beauty product created from the open innovation program “fibona” at the Shiseido Research Center. This is a report on this experimental show born out of co-creation.

The First Runway Show at Shiseido Beauty Park

The runway show “Expansion of Self-Expression: What Does It Mean to Adorn Oneself?'” marked the first of its kind at Shiseido Beauty Park. It was held through collaboration between Shiseido Research Center’s open innovation program “fibona,” Shiseido’s “Beauty Creation Center,” which is at the forefront of cutting-edge trends, and the footwear brand “grounds,” known for its concept “shoes that change your relationship with gravity.” The show featured Skin Accessories, which utilize Shiseido’s advanced “Second Skin” technology to form an artificial skin on the surface to correct unevenness and integrate seamlessly with the skin.

As the show began, a video interview featuring fashion designer Mikio Sakabe, who oversees grounds, and Shiseido’s hair and makeup artist Hirofumi Kera was projected. Kera highlighted the key point of the runway show as “using Skin Accessories to create a transparent, flexible film.” Skin Accessories can be applied to the face and body as accessory parts. However, this time, the focus was on the base technology, Second Skin, aiming for further expansion into makeup and fashion with the use of transparent, flexible films.

Kera, who belongs to Shiseido’s Beauty Creation Center, has previously presented innovative art pieces using Skin Accessories, conveying his own unique perspective. The image that emerged this time was sparked by a suggestion from Sakabe.

“When I consulted Sakabe about a show using Second Skin, the first reference he showed me was an image of a veil draped over a face. To bring this to life, I explored various possibilities with members of the research institute.” Kera continued, “Skin Accessories sit at a midpoint between special effects and conventional makeup. By successfully merging it with fashion, I believe we can create a new culture of makeup. I want to explore that potential further.”

Sakabe also spoke about the possibilities of merging Second Skin with fashion for full-body expression. “The face and the feet are the most distant parts of the body. That’s why I thought it would be interesting to create a presentation that highlights both, allowing the entire body to be seen.”

“On the contrary, if we focus too much on just the shoes or just the makeup as ‘parts,’ it can sometimes lose the essence of ‘total body’ fashion. So, this time, I wanted to create a show where the special makeup using Second Skin is integrated, making it appear as if the entire body is framed by the footwear and makeup,” said Sakabe (I think Sakabe said this quote? This is unclear.).

What does it mean to expand the possibilities of fashion and makeup using Second Skin? A show where the entire body appears to be framed by shoes and makeup!? What exactly does that entail?

The answer became clear as soon as the runway show began.

Expansion of Self-Expression with Second Skin

Models descending the gently spiraling staircase

The transparent masks that covered the head and face, along with hair accessories resembling filaments, were the first thing to catch the audience’s eye. Next, focus was drawn to the footwear from grounds, which featured their signature design with transparent chunky soles.

The models continued to appear down the stairs adorned in clear white and gray veils made from Second Skin and wearing fashion looks crafted by grounds.

In the show, the use of Second Skin was not just limited to masks. Eliminating the boundary between skin and clothing, tops made from Second Skin were featured.

The use of Second Skin in the “expansion of makeup and fashion” resulted in a strikingly vivid impression, despite the overall monochrome and brown color scheme. This was a noteworthy aspect of the show.

Although the runway show lasted only about 15 minutes, it was filled with playful, experimental elements.

The Future of Co-Creating Skin Accessories

“More customers than I expected came, which made me feel a bit nervous.” (Please add who said this.)

The last to take the stage was Yoshiro Sadakami, the researcher responsible for the technical development of Skin Accessories. Sadakami expressed his gratitude to the audience and everyone involved in the show, sharing his thoughts and feel.

“Skin Accessories are based on the concept of ‘expansion of self-expression.’ I initially envisioned them as ‘adhesive cosmetics.’ However, when I think about the future, I imagine a blurring of the boundaries between skin and what we wear, leading to a kind of integration. That is the vision I had in mind.” (Please add who said all of these quotes. It’s unclear who is speaking.)

“In this runway show directed by Mikio Sakabe, we were able to present the possibility of not just wearing Skin Accessories, but truly ‘adorning’ oneself for self-expression from head to toe.”

“Another concept behind Skin Accessories is ‘co-creation.’ This is also a core concept of the entire fibona initiative. As researchers, we sincerely listen to everyone’s feedback with the aim of improving Skin Accessories further. Thank you very much for coming today.”

Thus, the first experimental runway show at Shiseido Beauty Park came to a close, leaving behind a sense of success and anticipation.

A Chance to Reflect on the Audience’s Concept of “Self-Expression”

“I love doing my makeup, but I often feel unsure about what suits me. However, after watching today’s show, I realized that I can think of putting on makeup as a way to express my individuality.”

“I’m part of a creative dance club, and I feel like I’ve been shown new ways to express myself through the show.”

These reflections came from two high school students who attended the show. They also shared their excitement about the skin accessories, saying, “It’s more fun than my usual makeup!” and “It really broadens the possibilities of makeup!”

Additionally, a young man in his twenties, who attended out of an interest in fashion, expressed his admiration: “The second skin was beautifully integrated into fashion. The overall quality of the show was high, and I felt a sense of grandeur.”

Everyone who watched the runway show had the opportunity to reflect on their own self-expression. It was a moment where a new experience of beauty was born.

The scene created at the Skin Accessories experience booth

At the venue, various works expressing the concept of “wearing on the skin” with Skin Accessories were also on display.

Before the runway show, a crowd had gathered at the experience booth for the Skin Accessories.

Participants could choose from a variety of their favorite elements such as pearls, crystals, and holograms, and apply them to their faces and skin using two different bases made with Second Skin technology. People of all ages and genders were captivated by this unique beauty experience that set itself apart from their usual makeup routines.

An Experiment Beyond Researchers’ Imagination: Towards Future Co-Creation and Challenges

Immediately after the runway show, we spoke with the development team behind the Skin Accessories. First, where did the idea for this project originate?

Akane Yanagihara, a member of the fibona team, shared her thoughts.

“I see this show as an experimental endeavor with research elements. Since skin accessories are products in a ‘still non-existent field,’ I wanted to understand how young people and those with a high sense of fashion perceive new ways of using makeup and fashion.”

Yanagihara expressed that while progressing with the runway show planning, she strongly felt the “passion” of the team, including fashion designer Sakabe and hair and makeup artist Kera, as well as the members involved in the development of Second Skin. In particular, Sadakami was described as “almost possessed” by the process of repeatedly testing ideas to bring them to life.

“Our role is to materialize the ideas provided by Sakabe. However, at first, I honestly thought it would be difficult even to create a mask using the Second Skin membrane,” Sadakami remarked with a wry smile, yet his expression reflected a sense of accomplishment.

“When I look back at the Second Skin technology we’ve developed so far, I honestly thought it would be challenging to create a thin, transparent mask or thin, tear-resistant clothing. Nevertheless, more than anything, I wanted to see the finished product myself. It was thanks to Sakabe’s ideas that we were able to conduct experiments that exceeded our imagination.”

The expansion from makeup to fashion is easy to put into words, but behind it lies the determination of researchers who chose not to give up in the face of each technical barrier that stood in their way.

Looking forward to the next experiment, Project leader Shun Kubota reflected, “It was significant to show customers the future of makeup and fashion created by skin accessories.”

“By expressing ‘the extension of beauty’ that seamlessly connects the face to clothing, we aim to break down existing concepts of beauty. This was one of the themes of this event. We will take the valuable feedback from our customers and use what we learned today to inform our next challenges and co-creations.”

Fashion designers, makeup artists, and Shiseido researchers—all professionals in their respective fields—came together to pour their creativity into the creation of the runway show.

What kind of scenery awaits beyond the door opened by co-creation?

text: Ikumi Tsubone
photo: Umihiko Eto
edit: Emi Kawasaki, Kaori Sasagawa