A Beauty Missionary who Lures Women

Hair Makeup Artist & Clay Doll Creator, TAKAHASHI Setsuko

It began with a British book
It was a small opportunity indeed that set Ms. TAKAHASHI Setsuko on the road to creating dolls. When Japan was enjoying a high growth economy and women began advancing in various fields, Setsuko was busy with child care every day. But all the time she was frustrated with such a routine-filled life and looking for something to fulfill herself. At that time she came across a Kate GREENAWAY book published in Britain which contained many heart-warming illustrations of women and children. Suddenly, a desire to create dolls based on these pictures hit Setsuko, who had been wanting to fill some vacant space in her room. This was the beginning of an important part of her career.

In the beginning, her doll-making method was very simple and simply involved putting paper clay over a bottle and making the shape of a doll. Luckily, she had a sense of beauty from the beginning. "I was very lucky as I was a beautician," Setsuko says. "Thanks to my skills in make-up and hair dressing, I fell in love with creating dolls and it became a very enjoyable part of every day." However, the time she spent creating dolls was usually after putting her children to sleep and often went on until midnight and sometimes until dawn.

When she had created about 80 dolls, Setsuko went to a seminar held by SHUFUNOTOMO Co. Ltd. (publishing company) with a doll which she had unconsciously brought with her. After the seminar, while walking down the staircase, she heard a loud voice. Out of curiosity she asked a person nearby what had happened. She learned that a craft artist exhibition supporting a cancer fund was scheduled to open the following day and that Her Imperial Highness Princess Mikasa was invited. After being introduced to the manager, Setsuko asked him whether she could exhibit her dolls. After seeing her doll, the manager agreed on the spot.

A Clay Doll Creator Was Born In One Night
So, since then, the housewife Setsuko has become a clay doll creator. The 80 dolls she brought to the exhibition sold out in only half a day. SHUFUNOTOMO Co. Ltd. heard the news and published a doll creation book called "Classic Dolls." Soon after it went on sale, the first 30,000 copies sold out and it was re-printed five more times. At the doll creator exhibition held at Mitsukoshi department store, Setsuko's works were so popular that many visitors did not move in front of her display. She appeared on TV and unseen powers pushed her into the spotlight.

Setsuko heard the voices of many women wishing to create dolls who had been entranced by her collection. She then founded a clay doll creators circle called "La Banbola" ("doll" in Italian). Her classes started with seven students in 1980 and gradually grew to about five hundred classes at present. Afterwards, a long time dream came true when she successfully held a La Banbola's exhibition at Matsuya Ginza department store. At the first exhibition, which commemorated the 10th anniversary of La Banbola's foundation, 18,000 people visited, and at the second exhibition commemorating the 15th anniversary, 30,000 people visited. Both exhibitions were a great success.

Through her job working for women, Setsuko felt that one's life would be shown on one's face and gradually she began taking an interest in people around the world with different looks. She visited Yemen, which was so poor that not even toilets could be found. However, she was overwhelmed by the peoples' energy to live their lives vigorously even under severe circumstances and, using them as her subjects, Setsuko created a new style of dolls with the theme "Living on the Earth." These characteristics of these dolls are quite different from the cuteness and beauty she had previously expressed through her dolls.

From Doll Creation to Cosmetic Creation
When La Banbola reached the peak of its popularity, Setsuko suddenly had to reassess her own life and her passion for dolls that had consumed so much of her time, even though they were gorgeous. The days in which she asked herself what she should do continued. Stopping her doll making activities for six months, Setsuko reviewed her goals. One day she was astonished when she saw herself in the mirror and found that her skin was very damaged from staying abroad in hot countries. After struggling for a while, she finally found that pure placenta oil made one's cells younger. Through further experimental testing on herself, she developed a cosmetic which is tender on the skin. As the product really worked, Seibu department store decided to sell it. Since then, Setsuko's company Coreco Co. Ltd. has gradually expanded and celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.

Looking back, Setsuko says, "I believe all of my work, experiencing work as a beautician, doll making and producing cosmetics has been for the pursuit of women's beauty and because of that, all of my experiences were useful. On the other hand, I have experienced many encounters with different people including partings, joy, agony and the dreadfulness of many things." Through Setsuko, people will feel her consistent desire to seek for the beauty of women, her stubbornness to seek for the creation of beauty, and see her attractiveness as a mature woman who has tasted the sweet and bitter things in life.

Back to List Page