Kiko Mizuhara—Tokyo’s Biggest Model and Style Icon—On Becoming Dior’s New Girl and Bringing #MeToo to Japan

It’s hard to stand out during Tokyo Fashion Week. Between the street style kids, designer-clad front row denizens, and other professional style aficionados, the fight for attention can be intense, but Kiko Mizuhara doesn’t have to worry about any of that. At Ambush’s starstudded Tokyo Tower show, Mizuhara quietly commanded attention simply by being herself. Lithe and gamine, with an easygoing demeanor, she is one of Japan’s most recognizable faces. With a career in magazines and advertising dating back to childhood, the now-27-year-old has become an essential part of the nation’s fashion scene—visible for her clothing collaborations, campaigns, and thousands of billboards plastered around Shibuya. There are blogs dedicated to charting her every outfit, and sold-out collaborations with Opening Ceremony that have been worn by the likes of Rihanna and Beyoncé.

Though she may be as high-profile an ambassador for Japanese style as it gets, the star has flown under the radar stateside—until now. As the newly named ambassador for Dior Beauty, Mizuhara is the latest star to be tapped by the iconic brand. “I feel proud to have been chosen,” says Mizuhara during a visit to the Vogue offices. “Especially being the first Asian ambassador.” The coup continues the trajectory she’s been on since signing with Creative Artists Agency in 2017. In that time, she’s walked her first New York Fashion Week, appeared in a music video with The Weeknd, and filmed a movie. She also has a line of affordable housewares called OK launching at the end of the month. But if world domination seems imminent, Mizuhara remains humble about the prospect. “I don’t know what’s going happen this year, but I’m very excited,” she says. “Right now I’m doing lots of things, but [I’m also] just enjoying my life, traveling, chilling. I’m going to try my best, even if nothing happens.”

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