Model, talent and fashion designer Uno Kanda

Work creates gratitude and opens up new worlds

Model, talent, and fashion designer Uno Kanda

■ Profile
Born March 28, 1975, in Kanagawa Prefecture. She made her modeling debut at the age of 14, and was later appointed as a model for the magazine "Petit Seven" at the age of 17. Since then, she has been active in a wide range of fields, from variety shows to dramas, movies, and commercials. In 2001, she began producing stockings, wedding dresses, jewelry, and more. In 2004, she exhibited her wedding dresses at Paris Fashion Week. She also announced that she will be producing the cosmetics brand "Peau de Bijou UNO" from 2021.

　Kanda Uno is active in a wide range of fields, including ballet, modeling, variety show talent, and product production. We spoke to her about her childhood experiences, the society she encountered through her modeling career, and her challenge to appear on a variety show on television. We spoke to her about the "strength" that allows her to work as a producer in pursuit of feminine beauty.

　I entered the entertainment industry when I was scouted by a modeling agency at the age of 14. I loved fashion, so I began my career in show business, dreaming of being able to wear lots of beautiful clothes. At the time, I was also concentrating on ballet, which I had been doing since childhood, so it wasn't easy to balance that with modeling. My ballet teacher was quite strict, so even when I passed modeling auditions, I had to prioritize ballet, and I remember feeling frustrated many times. My parents were against me pursuing a career in show business, but for me, who had only known the world of school and ballet, every day was filled with excitement.

　After graduating from high school, I began appearing on variety shows. It all started when the president of my agency praised me, saying, "She's funny, like a talking Barbie doll." When I was suddenly tasked with hosting a show, I innocently thought, "My grandparents who live in the countryside aren't watching, so I can just say whatever I want," and approached it with a sense of innocence. However, my comments were edited, which led to misunderstandings, and I began to receive more and more criticism. I even went so far as to tell my boss directly that I wanted to quit being a talent and go back to modeling, but the encouraging words of my friends were a great support.

　I've now started working as a producer. I appeared in a stocking commercial when I was 25, and that's when a company approached me about designing stockings. I decided to try my hand at decorating the stockings with Swarovski crystals. It involved a lot of hard work, such as conducting experiments to verify their durability, but the product ended up being a huge hit. I was deeply moved when I saw women walking down the street wearing the stockings I had designed. Unlike the recognition I received from my modeling work, the experience of seeing someone pleased with a product I had created using my own sensibilities gave me a great sense of accomplishment. I think this experience helped me develop the sense that "work generates gratitude."

◾️Message to students

　I believe that student years are a special time when you can learn about the workings of society while being protected. Because I entered the workforce at an early age, I did not experience the precious freedom that university students have. The people you meet and the challenges you take on during this time will surely be of great benefit when you reach your 30s and 40s. I hope that you will not be afraid of failure and will take on many challenges.

Student Newspaper April 2025 Edition Yurie Watanabe, First Year Student at Josai International University

Maruyama Mitomo, second-year student at International Christian University / Watanabe Yurie, first-year student at Josai International University