Meet a fresh and friendly face who bringing life and joy into our cover: Yuka Mizuhara for DEW Magazine 17th Edition.
GROOVE IS IN THE HEART
If you’re a huge fan of Tran Anh Hung’s film adaptation of Haruki Murakami’s Norwegian Wood, you must be familiar with Kiko Mizuhara, an American/Korean descent actress who personated Midori perfectly in that movie. 5 years later after her acting debut, we welcome a fresh and friendly face: Kiko’s younger sister, Ashley Yuka or better known as Yuka Mizuhara who also happens to thrive the modelling industry. The bubbly model is just another version of Kiko, bringing life and joy into our cover. We talked a little bit about herself, from her experience in modelling to her karaoke song selection.
Ashley Yuka Daniel was born 4 years lafter Kiko, and she grew up in Kobe, Japan. Yuka’s father is American and her mother is a Japanese-born woman of Korean ancestry. In Japan, this genetic mix is termed Zainichi. When she was 7, her parents got divorced and her father moved back to the US, but Kiko and Yuka remained with her mother in Kobe. Both grew up together as super close sisters who can share stories on love or work or just about anything. If Yuka brought home a new boyfriend, Kiko would switch into her protective big sister mode and lecture the guy, not wanting her sister to get hurt. Their relationship exists to mutually protect one another.
Yuka greatly admired her sister’s personality and hard work. When she was just a kid, she used to accompany her sister to magazine shoots, and subconsciously got inspired and now she has followed her sister’s footsteps. As a 19 year old, Yuka has appeared in major Vogue Japan editorials, and photo spreads for Numero Tokyo, Nylon and Elle Japan. She has also done campaigns for robbem and Marimekko in 2014. Recently, together with her sister, she graced the Opening Ceremony Spring/Summer 2015 campaign.
If Kiko is sexy and vivacious, Yuka is more cutesy and bubbly. You can just feel her kawaii saccharine loveliness when you visit her Instagram account; she would always post something unique, sweet, and funny. But the Mizuhara sisterly connection can be felt from the way both girls dress: both evoke contrasting yet exceptional personal styles in their day-to-day clothes or when they attend commercial events. Ever the Asian, Yuka also often spends time with her sister in karaoke sessions. The more we talk to her, the more she revealed her diverse taste in music (from Billy Joel to Queen to Jamiroquai). Apparently one of the proudest moments in her career was not as a model, but instead her upcoming collaboration with legendary Japanese DJ and record producer Towa Tei, as she explained in the following exclusive interview with DEW. (Text Teuku Ajie)
CREDITS
Cover Story Yuka Mizuhara at Image Models
Photography Yuji Watanabe
Styling Yoko Irie
Hair Daisuke Mukai at &’s Management
Make-up Atsushi Kokawa