Exclusive Interview with Kiko Mizuhara about the iroha petit CORAL

For the launch of the iroha petit CORAL, our collaboration item with Kiko Mizuhara, we had a chance to sit down chat with her about this special iroha item. 

Keep on reading to find out more about the inspiration, and her thoughts on self-pleasure. 

Monica: Hi Kiko! It is so nice to have a chance to sit down with you and ask you some questions regarding your upcoming iroha petit CORAL launch!

Kiko: Hi! I am so happy to be here too! I am so excited for my and iroha’s fans to enjoy our creation, the iroha petit CORAL!

Monica: So for those of you who may not be familiar with Kiko Mizuhara yet, let us share a little bit about her!

Kiko Mizuhara is an international model, actress, and entrepreneur, who started her modeling career in Japan. Back in 2010, Kiko Mizuhara was in ‘Norwegian Wood’ (a movie based on Haruki Murakami’s book), since then she was also in ‘Attack on Titan: End of the World’ (2015) and ‘Queer Eye: We’re in Japan!’ (2019). Kiko was also very involved in the fashion industry, where she collaborated with various fashion brands, and in 2016 she launched her own fashion brand “OK”.

So, did we miss anything, Kiko?

Kiko: I also love nature, especially the ocean. I often find inspiration from the ocean. This is why I decided to incorporate aspects of the ocean into this collab too!

Monica: That makes sense for the iroha petit coral, it is so adorable and we love the coral design! Just out of curiosity, we know that you have worked and collaborated with many brands before, so how do you choose the brands you work with?

Kiko: I am very grateful that as a model and actress, I have the platforms and the opportunities to express myself and share information with more people. So, when I choose the brands, I want to make sure the brand matches what I believe in, such as a positive attitude to sex and sexuality, especially for women. I want to use the gift of my platform to empower more people to be confident with their bodies. 

Monica: So, how did you get interested in the topic of sexuality and self-pleasure?

Kiko: For me, your body and health are essential parts of your life, so it is very important for me that we can talk about our bodies and feel good about them. One way to do so is through self-pleasure. When I asked myself, “what does happiness mean to me”, self-pleasure naturally came as part of the answer. It helped me a lot, in terms of my confidence and happiness.

So with my opportunities, I want to create a safe space where anyone can talk about their bodies, self-pleasure, and sexuality freely.

Monica: We are so happy to hear that! And we agree with you that self-pleasure is important. Do you think self-pleasure plays an important role in your relationship?

Kiko: Yes, self-pleasure has helped me to be more communicative. I believe that understanding your body can lead to good health and happiness.  I think that the fact that we are able to freely talk about it plays an important role in my relationship. 

Monica: That is amazing! I heard that you now reside in Los Angeles, is it true you grew up in both the United States and Japan? And how do you think the culture about self-pleasure is different in Japan versus the West?

Kiko: In Japan, there was a stronger sense of taboo in conversations surrounding women’s sexuality. When I was in the Japanese entertainment industry, there were still some difficulty to talk about it. While in the West, it felt more open, but at the same time, there are still many people who don’t talk about it. It is a different kind of feeling, Japan is more hush hush in general, while in the U.S., we know it is there and there are some conversations, but not as widespread as it should be.

Monica: That’s very interesting, and I have to agree with you on some points. Self-pleasure is a known topic, but the truth is there are still many who misunderstand it. That’s why iroha hopes to change their mindset, so that they know that self-pleasure is part of self-care. It is not selfish.

So, with iroha, what message do you hope to send to your fans and other people?

Kiko: That you should not be ashamed of your body, in fact, you should enjoy it! I want more people to feel confident in their own skin and enjoy their body. Take care of your body and yourself. Self-pleasure and understanding my body has helped me a lot with my confidence.

Monica: How do you think iroha products can change the conversation around self-pleasure?

Kiko: Well, as mentioned earlier, I find iroha products to be so cute and approachable. Which is very different from other products that are already on the market. They make me feel happy and I am always so happy to share it with my friends, which has opened opportunities for conversations surrounding self-pleasure and the body. These topics are very important and they do make a difference in my opinion. 

Monica: So why did you decide to create your own version of the iroha petit? And what was the inspiration?

Kiko: The iroha petit is such a special and unique product in my opinion. I would go around telling my friends “The iroha petit is revolutionary! You have to try it!” So, when I had a chance to work with iroha, I knew I wanted to create something in the iroha petit Series. It is just so different and well-made. As for the inspiration, I love the ocean, it is just so soothing to me. Within the current iroha petit Series, the iroha petit SHELL is my favorite, so I wanted to create something that would complement it, and that’s why I chose CORAL.

Monica: So happy to hear that you love the iroha petit Series. It is truly a hidden gem, especially because it is one of our few non-vibrating items. 

Kiko: Yes, which makes it even more different. When we think of non-vibrating pleasure items, most people will think of a dildo, but the iroha petit is so versatile! Like you can use it all over your body and it feels great! You can use it on your body, or your partner’s body. As an ally, I wanted to create something that can be used by anyone, and I think this is very important. The iroha petit does just that, and while it is designed for women, it can be used by anyone. I want more people to feel confident with their bodies and I hope the iroha petit CORAL could be something that helps them gain confidence.

Monica: Ok, one final question, if you could say something to your younger self, what would you say?

Kiko: Oh, this is a hard one. But I would say, “Don’t be so hard on yourself, learn to love yourself and look for the small things in life that make you happy.”

 

 

We hope you enjoy this interview as much we did. Check out our blog all about the process of developing the iroha petit CORAL with Kiko Mizuhara! Or if you are interested in trying out our limited edition iroha petit CORAL, get it now before its gone!