Rena Takeshita
HARU
Interview about your
“Unframed Self”
PEOPLE
01
RENA TAKESHITA
Fashion Model@renatakeshita
She is a leading Japanese model who appears in numerous fashion magazines. Her natural fashion sense is popular among women of her age, and she often appears in the media in her own clothes. She gave birth to one child in 2012 and posts about her daily life on her Instagram.
What do you value when living an unconventional life?
To see for yourself what is good and what is bad.
There are costs to not being swayed by others and sticking to your own sense of justice, but I think it was good that I was able to move in the direction I believe is right.
What's important is how kind you can be.
There's a fine line between hypocrisy and kindness, and what appears to be kindness may be perceived as hypocrisy by others. Before, I felt embarrassed if others thought I was being hypocritical, but now I feel like, "Even if people think that, I want to do things that make me feel good."
There are costs to not being swayed by others and sticking to your own sense of justice, but I think it was good that I was able to move in the direction I believe is right.
What's important is how kind you can be.
There's a fine line between hypocrisy and kindness, and what appears to be kindness may be perceived as hypocrisy by others. Before, I felt embarrassed if others thought I was being hypocritical, but now I feel like, "Even if people think that, I want to do things that make me feel good."
Have you had any experiences or moments when you felt strongly that you were "you"?
What makes me unique is that I "act for others," but when it comes to doing things for myself, I lose all my energy. If I don't have any consideration for others, I can't put my heart into my work. So, when I'm alone, I just laze around.
Because I love devoting myself to others, I don't feel burdened even if the time I can't take care of myself piles up, and for me, that's like a daily discipline. I don't really have any particular goals in mind, so on my days off I just lie around in my underwear without dressing up (laughs).
Because I love devoting myself to others, I don't feel burdened even if the time I can't take care of myself piles up, and for me, that's like a daily discipline. I don't really have any particular goals in mind, so on my days off I just lie around in my underwear without dressing up (laughs).
What kind of means of expression is fashion for you, Takeshita?
It is the only communication tool.
Many of my encounters with people up until now have been through fashion. That's why incorporating and sharing what I like is a way of expressing myself honestly. Now that I'm able to share my likes with people who understand me through social media, I want to express their current moods through fashion.
On the other hand, at work I am sometimes asked to "be a certain type of woman today," but I also find that a fun way to express myself.
I was drawn to the mural-like graphics of this scarf by artist Nakao Ryo, which evokes the image of overseas hip-hop culture. Not only is the bold use of color, but the thickness of the letters seems to have been drawn without any calculation, and I think that freedom is very cool. Today, I tried coordinating it with the scarf as the main focus, wearing a "pirate wrap" around my head.
Many of my encounters with people up until now have been through fashion. That's why incorporating and sharing what I like is a way of expressing myself honestly. Now that I'm able to share my likes with people who understand me through social media, I want to express their current moods through fashion.
On the other hand, at work I am sometimes asked to "be a certain type of woman today," but I also find that a fun way to express myself.
I was drawn to the mural-like graphics of this scarf by artist Nakao Ryo, which evokes the image of overseas hip-hop culture. Not only is the bold use of color, but the thickness of the letters seems to have been drawn without any calculation, and I think that freedom is very cool. Today, I tried coordinating it with the scarf as the main focus, wearing a "pirate wrap" around my head.
PEOPLE
02
HARU
Stylist / DJ @hrkhrks
Born in Tokyo. Studied under stylist Inozuka Keita since 2019. Became independent in 2025 and works as a stylist. While well versed in street culture, her unique feminine and elegant styling has attracted attention in the fashion scene. She has also been active as a DJ since 2017. Her activities span a wide range, contributing to music, fashion and various cultures.
Have you ever felt empowered by stepping outside of stereotypes or conventional wisdom?
I originally did dance and dreamed of becoming a dancer. However, my mother was very strict and didn't support that path... I chose to get a job, but I wanted to go as far as I could without setting limits on my own time, physical strength, and mental health, so I took the plunge and chose to become a stylist's assistant.
It was a big decision that really took me out of my comfort zone, but it helped me realize how small the world I had seen up until then was, and my horizons suddenly broadened.
That's when I realized that there really aren't any rules, and that there really isn't anything that you can't do. I was also greatly influenced by my father, who lived with me.
When I chose to live with my father, who was kind, sometimes strict, and always on my side, it felt like my future suddenly opened up, and I had the sense of taking control of my own life.
It was a big decision that really took me out of my comfort zone, but it helped me realize how small the world I had seen up until then was, and my horizons suddenly broadened.
That's when I realized that there really aren't any rules, and that there really isn't anything that you can't do. I was also greatly influenced by my father, who lived with me.
When I chose to live with my father, who was kind, sometimes strict, and always on my side, it felt like my future suddenly opened up, and I had the sense of taking control of my own life.
Have you had any experiences or moments when you felt strongly that you were "you"?
It's honesty.
If there's something that bothers me, I want to clearly say, "That's not right," and I absolutely hate pretense. The more serious I am, the more passionate I become, and I'm the type of person who gives my honest opinions, so I want to build a relationship with someone who accepts that. That's why I want to always be honest with myself.
During a recent shoot, someone said to me, "I felt your words were strong, but at the same time, I felt warm inside because I could sense how seriously you were taking the story." I think that's just who I am.
If there's something that bothers me, I want to clearly say, "That's not right," and I absolutely hate pretense. The more serious I am, the more passionate I become, and I'm the type of person who gives my honest opinions, so I want to build a relationship with someone who accepts that. That's why I want to always be honest with myself.
During a recent shoot, someone said to me, "I felt your words were strong, but at the same time, I felt warm inside because I could sense how seriously you were taking the story." I think that's just who I am.
What is the source of your sensibility and creativity?
In my work as a stylist, I draw inspiration from everything I encounter in my daily life.
I live my life constantly conscious of input, such as the scenery I happen to see or the colors of the clothes of people walking down the street. I often get various hints while walking, and these often give me various ideas.
My mood doesn't necessarily match the fashion mood of the world, and it changes quickly. For example, last month I was drawn to sporty clothes with tight silhouettes, but now I'm interested in clothes with lace and frills.
For this scarf, I chose the one by artist Kurihara Taki from the wide variety of colors available, and chose the one that best suited my current mood and color scheme. The abstract design, based on black and white, is lovely, and I plan to wear it as a top that shows just the right amount of skin.
I live my life constantly conscious of input, such as the scenery I happen to see or the colors of the clothes of people walking down the street. I often get various hints while walking, and these often give me various ideas.
My mood doesn't necessarily match the fashion mood of the world, and it changes quickly. For example, last month I was drawn to sporty clothes with tight silhouettes, but now I'm interested in clothes with lace and frills.
For this scarf, I chose the one by artist Kurihara Taki from the wide variety of colors available, and chose the one that best suited my current mood and color scheme. The abstract design, based on black and white, is lovely, and I plan to wear it as a top that shows just the right amount of skin.
｜Credit
Photography: Mai Kise
Hair & Makeup: Narumi Tsukuba (Rena Takeshita)
Interview: Chiho Hashimoto
Direction: Aya Satake
“Unframed Self” Vol.2
Vol.2 features Aikawa Maho, a model who also works as a PR for an apparel brand. Watari Tsugumi, a stylist known for her simple yet feminine elegance. And mabanua, a multi-creator who continues to express herself with a unique sensibility.
“Unframed Self” Vol.3
Vol.3 features Anio Tenyu, a model and artist who maintains her unique sensibility; Ayuko Hamanaka, who runs the brand Uhr, which reflects the mood of the times while also incorporating a touch of mature charm; and Shinnosuke Kawada, a product planner who is renowned for his unique styling that incorporates core traditional items into modern styles.
Silk scarf "Title Unknown"
￥24,200 (tax included)
Ryo Nakao (Yamanami Koubou, Shiga Prefecture)
Born in 1998, he lives in Shiga Prefecture and has been a member of Yamanami Studio since 2017. Originally, he enjoyed cutting paper to make and admire fan propellers, but after seeing his staff imitate his writing and trace letters on windows with their fingers, he began painting after handing over an English newspaper and seeing him copy it onto drawing paper. Many of his works feature English letters as well as numbers. He paints without a moment's hesitation or hesitation, completing them in an instant. His energy and strength are also evident in the typefaces of the letters and numbers. He often traces over the letters multiple times using different colors, brushes, pens, or even his fingers, adding depth to his work. Recently, he has begun creating paintings that not only feature letters, but also people and his favorite objects, reflecting his unique sensibility alongside his cool style.
Silk scarf "Title Unknown"
￥24,200 (tax included)
Taiki Kurihara (Yamanami Koubou, Shiga Prefecture)
He always has an innocent and adorable expression, and does whatever he feels like, going for walks, lying down in the sun, or repeatedly humming his favorite words in rhythm, like a song. One day, I placed some construction paper on the floor and handed him a container of paint. He carelessly spilled paint onto the paper. Perhaps at first it was just a random thing. The next day, and the day after that... As he repeated the same thing over and over, his act of spilling paint gradually began to take on a will of his own. Sometimes powerful, sometimes delicate, his formless and free expression stains the construction paper with paint, as if to express him.