09/05/2026
Day 1 at the AICI Asia Conference 2026 in Tokyo.
This year’s theme, “Spirit of Harmony: Shaping Futures Through Creativity and Inclusion,” really got me reflecting on how much the image consulting industry has evolved.
For many people outside the industry, image consulting may still sound like “helping people dress well.”
But those of us in this profession have been practising far beyond that.
It is also about psychology, behaviour, communication, leadership presence, inner confidence, wellbeing, emotional connection, and even life science. It is about helping people align who they are on the inside with how they show up on the outside.
The keynote speech by the Corporate Executive Officer of Shiseido, Mizuki Hashimoto, shared the evolution of “Stage, not age.”
Instead of defining people by age, we begin to see life in different stages of growth, creativity, contribution, and reinvention.
I found that deeply connected to the conference theme.
Creativity is seeing possibilities beyond labels.
Inclusion is recognising that every person, at every stage of life, still wants to feel seen, valued, confident, and relevant.
Really meaningful conversations and perspectives to kick off the conference.