Simple is innovation. With true simplicity? :JBIG takes a journey.| JBIG

Things that have not changed for 10 years. What I have been saying for 10 years.

"Stubborn" is the manufacturing based on the belief.

Taihei Noda (hereinafter Noda) In July 2020,P.G.C.D.It's been 10 years since Japan was established. Because there is a product design of Mr. Taku,P.G.C.D. I think we are able to deliver the world view of JAPAN to our customers. Seen from TakuP.G.C.D.What kind of brand is it?

Taku Sato (hereinafter Sato) It's a company that is unique in a good way and is on its own path. There are not so many companies that are particular about making things while pursuing the essence. I've been helping with the product design part since its foundation, but I'm sometimes admired that "I can do this!" because I get GO even when it is not normally allowed. I myself will make a proposal that I have never done before, and I will make it shape more and more. In that case, the side that proposed it is also responsible, so I will pursue what I have never done. It's one of the few companies that can take the first road together.

(I.e. I'm happy, thank you. I don't think I'm a cosmetics company myself. In the cosmetics industry, new products are developed and released one after another each season, but we are different. It takes a few years to produce one product. The people who develop the products that we meet at the recruitment interview say, "I can't spend so much time" and "I'm afraid not to release new products for years."

Sato A general cosmetics company develops products in a fast cycle, so it may be uneasy to make it slowly and carefully.

(I.e. That's right. It's like "What do you do if that fails?"

Sato I see, i see.

(I.e. What I doubt about how the industry should be is that I'm thinking, "You have to make a lot of things. You have to release a lot of new products." The average number of cosmetics used by Japanese women is said to be 1. Despite this technological advancement, more items are used than before. I think that is strange, and it does not improve the global environment.

P.G.C.D. JAPAN proposes 2-step skin care with only soap and serum because it thinks it is "Simple is Innovation".In this era, he continues to convey that "increasing things is not innovation. Making things simpler is innovation."For the past 10 years, I have been cherishing things like "let's make people and the earth beautiful" by reducing unnecessary things and using only what we really need.

Sato I think many companies do manufacturing tailored to the market. If you look at the product, you will find out over time whether the main body of manufacturing is the market or your own company. That point,P.G.C.D. JAPAN is persistently doing manufacturing based on its beliefs. Whatever the world may be, if you think that it's good for women and for society, you'll do it quite persistently. What is meant by "persistence" is "continue to doubt". I don't think this is good. However, if you rely on the market, you should be able to adapt to the market, so I think this is good. Based on your beliefs, you never really want to do this, and you really want something good.

Value is not something that is added, but something that is essential.

(I.e.　I sometimes feel that creating a market is, in a sense, the egoism of a manufacturer.The foundation is where this is noticeable.Not long ago, women in Western countries didn't use it.But it has changed completely in the last few years.Focusing on the fact that it sells well in the Japanese market, foundations have begun to be developed in Europe and the United States.Nowadays, there are Hollywood actresses who upload videos of how to make up, and everyone is using it.Many cosmetic companies have to think that they want to create a market, so they make and sell things that they don't really need. It makes me think, "What is true beauty?"

Sato　P.G.C.D. JAPAN is a brand that starts from a philosophy, and you are thinking about the essence of "becoming beautiful." That is the concept that I can relate to. Bring out the beauty that the person originally has. That's why the idea that there's just the bare minimum is all that simple.

(I.e.　That's why we have "ultimate simplicity" as a concept, a theme, and a goal.What does Taku think about "true simplicity"?

Sato　On the contrary, there is room for the human side who touches the simple thing to enter.It's the bare minimum, so I think it's something that the person can customize and be personal.Those that adapt to the personality, space, and environment of the person who uses it and the person who owns it.I have a "big bosom" that the person himself can enter.But things that aren't simple can only be sent from things unilaterally and cannot be customized.

I think that some designs can be decorative as a part of entertainment. There is also a design that is beautiful and disappears like a beautiful firework for a moment. But if all that was in my life, it would be a hassle. It becomes noise, so it is not comfortable. However, all that is added to the value from the top is overflowing in the world to make money. I think people with hearts are already disappointed.

(I.e.　I remember it very much.When I was told by Mr. Taku that I don't like the word "added value", he said with a lot of tension, "I have to add it by design because it has no value in the first place, and there is a design for that kind of thing." (Lol)

Sato　Design is a "vessel" for sharing the essential value of the product itself.There is no design to add value, and I think the idea of adding value to give top priority to the economy is wrong.

(I.e.　The word added value is misleading, isn't it?It gives the impression of adding value later.

Sato　For the time being, if you try to establish a business by sticking something together, you lose sight of the true value of the product.By continuing to look at the essence of "what you want to deliver" to users, you will find what you need to do and polish your value.The rough stone may not look so beautiful, but when it is polished, a very beautiful thing comes out from inside ...So, in fact, the great value is already there.

P.G.C.D.Didn't you find "Is this all you need" when you overlooked the basic cosmetics already in the world? You're doing something that makes it so good. It overlaps with the important work of design.

What is “Beauty” but not “Beautiful”?

"Western rationality" and "Japanese rationality".

(I.e.　The word "beautiful" in Japan is completely different from the English word "Beautiful", and I think there is a timeline there.It takes time to be beautiful, such as taking time and effort and losing what you can get immediately.Japan's "beautiful" is based on Japanese rationality.It's a hassle, but it's not an inefficiency, it's an essentially very important process.Because Western rationality has removed the process, there are no more important things that you can't really feel without going through the process.So our brand is always thinking about how to convey to our customers the wonders of spending time and effort for ourselves.

Sato　It's physical.It is said that when you use your body, you become your own with the act. It means "I also design experience".Therefore, if you think only about efficiency, wonderful gestures, valuable experiences, physicality, etc. will be scraped off more and more.Actually, it's very important.But even an umbrella can be made quick with the touch of a button.However, the idea is that all the wonderful gestures when you use your hands are useless.However, the gesture when holding an umbrella creates a relationship with the umbrella, including that gesture.In today's society that prioritizes efficiency, everything is cut off.

(I.e.　Kendo, judo, tea ceremony, flower arrangement, and the top performers of "michi" are beautiful and lean.But that can't be done right away.

Our soap weighs 1g, which is a bit large for a woman's hand. So from the time of making bubbles, at first there are people who drop it. However, I think that the feeling of carefully treating "Oh, it's a waste" is born. Because it's this size, it's this shape that makes it more and more familiar to your own hands. As the skin becomes more and more beautiful, the soap will become attached to it. It takes a lot of work, but I think it's beauty, and it's really simple.

Sato　Isn't the act of "whisking" born in the end?That's what you're participating in.Then, the usage of the person is born naturally.The very simple things I mentioned earlier have room for me to get into it, and my ingenuity and my software are being utilized more and more.Nowadays, human beings have a lot of wonderful software, but all of them are externalized.One button, one touch, and that's all you need. "Convenient" means "how to avoid using the body".The body is degenerating more and more.There is a good word for attachment.When attachment grows, the relationship between things and people gets closer.It's becoming more and more your own.I think it's really simple.

(I.e.　There is a word "anti-aging", but in Europe it is said to have "age". "I have 40 years old" "I have 50 years old" Having it will enrich your life.Therefore, the true beauty of Japan, like having an age in Europe, is something that can be gained and value is created by taking time, but we try to resist it all.That's why we are very pleased to hear that with simple soap and lotion, we are helping our customers to keep their skin feeling like they are.

Sato　This shape (of soap) was also made over time.

(I.e.　You adjusted the curve of the form many times with Mr. Taku.After all, the larger one is left over at first, but by handling it carefully, it becomes more and more familiar to my hands and the longest time is this 125g, and it becomes this size.So, it has this form so that it can be easily foamed.The soap itself is made in France, but the mold is made in Italy.The French were angry that they couldn't make such a troublesome mold, and the first soap shape was made ...It ’s a legend, but (laughs)

Feel with your five senses and wake up the feeling of sleeping.

(I.e.　I think experience is very important.The story goes awry, but the other day I went all the way to find out about the "last clear stream, Shimanto River" and the last clear stream.I really touched the river, entered the river, and played in the river.So, looking at the sky, looking at the scenery, looking at the size of the earth in real life, looking at the beauty of the river, knowing the coldness, knowing the cleanliness of the air is a substitute for anyone. It's hard, isn't it?Humans have a lot of sensors, but now I feel that information alone looks delicious in search, and that information alone is beautiful.After all, if you only use text information or image information, you can't tell the difference.After all, I have to actually feel the five senses of the wind and light that I feel in the vast real space, and the coldness.

Sato　When you go to a place rich in nature, you usually feel asleep.Even children, if they live in the city, will not know what kind of feeling they have.It is the role of adults to make them aware of it.

(I.e.　Since I started this company, I have been doing a "face-wash beauty salon" by calling customers here (ICHIE) every month. With EC, only the numbers in the data are analyzed.But that's fine later.First of all, let's talk with the customers who come here, even if there are three people, and let's first feel what kind of tone, what kind of facial expression, what kind of words we choose, and what kind of words we will talk about. I'm telling the members of the company.It would be nice to talk about data from there, but I think the data is a little different even though there is no such thing. I attach great importance to it because I am doing EC and because there are no real shops.I think it would be a lie if I made something that wasn't real by myself just by imagining it.

Sato　After all, modern society dulls the senses.Humans have very delicate sensors in the first place, but the sensors become dull, especially when living in the city.The resolution becomes very rough.Since the fine scale is no longer needed, it cannot be utilized.But I believe that humans don't lose that feeling, they just sleep because they live in the city.So, when you go on a trip to a place with a lot of nature, when you feel the air, light, or wind there, the feeling of sleeping is awakened and your back is throbbing.I think that is exactly the feeling that the feeling of sleeping is awakened.Therefore, it is very important when thinking about design to be able to touch things while awakening the sleeping things. I want to awaken, "Oh, this feeling is good." Or "It feels good."So, the state of being like that leads to comfort and joy.That's why I'm very particular about the texture and how to experience it when you experience it.P.G.C.D.Isn't he particular about making things? I think that bringing back the resolutions of human beings more and more leads to joy.

(I.e.　In fact, the texture of bubbles and lotion Eclat, the sensation of applying it to the skin, and the sensation of quintessence soaking into the scalp, aren't they?

Sato　It's not this.I wondered if this would happen a little more.It's a very fine scale.It's like adjusting the fine scales, isn't it?

(I.e.　One customer said, "When the soap arrives, I stay alone in the room and enjoy the fluffy scent the moment it is opened without being disturbed by anyone."I was very happy to know that we are able to deliver this kind of happiness to our customers.

Sato　You already have a special relationship between the user and the product.Recalling this feeling leads to the joy of the user.That is also a commitment.P.G.C.D. I hope Japan's products will trigger the use of sensors that humans originally have.

(I.e.　I sometimes say, "I'm not saying that my skin is delicious!", But sometimes I can see it with a face like what I'm saying (laughs).

Sato　People who are usually dull don't understand it.It's just how dull it is.Because modern society is a society that dulls your senses if you leave it alone. There is no doubt that the convenient society enabled by IT-based technology is actually blunting human senses. If you play with your smartphone all day long, you'll feel pretty dull.

(I.e.　Look at such a small screen.That's why sensitive children do nothing but smartphones, which is a great loss when the most important cells in life have to be activated and absorbed.

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