World-renowned designer Junko Koshino and Meiji’s iconic snack “Kinoko no Yama” form an unconventional collaboration! Reporting on the “Kino-Colle” fashion show celebrating the 50th anniversary of its launch.
Hello, everyone!
I am Horie from the Public Relations Business Division 1 at SUNNY SIDE UP.
On Tuesday, October 14, 2025, the special event “JUNKO KOSHINO Kino-Colle 2026 S/S COLLECTION” was held at Shibuya Hikarie Hall A to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the national chocolate snack “Kinoko no Yama”!
This was a seemingly unconventional collaboration between world-renowned designer Junko Koshino—who is also a specialist affiliated with SUNNY SIDE UP—and “Kinoko no Yama.” However, the world view presented captivated the entire venue and became a major topic of conversation.
For this project, SUNNY SIDE UP was responsible for media strategy design and PR dissemination.
In particular, the tactics used during the talk show in the second half were successful in maximizing media exposure.
Turning “Kinoko no Yama” into High Fashion! A Sustainable Special Collection
As a symbol of Meiji’s sustainable initiatives, the collection featured outfits made by upcycling “cacao husks,” an underutilized part of the cacao bean.
Inspired by the silhouette and universal presence of “Kinoko no Yama,” the outfits featured unique designs that blended playfulness with artistry.
In the finale, Win Morisaki, the 50th-anniversary ambassador for Kinoko no Yama, made a surprise appearance to escort Ms. Koshino, drawing thunderous applause from the audience.
Tactics that Transformed the Talk Show into a Highlight
The AI diagnosis project using the talk show content “Kinoko no Yama vs. Takenoko no Sato: Which Side Are You On? AI Judge ‘MOTHER'” drew a particularly strong response.
In a segment where preferences were determined based on physiognomy and big data, the venue erupted when Junko Koshino was diagnosed as being on “Team Takenoko no Sato.” Mr. Morisaki also revealed, “Actually, I’m on Team Takenoko too (laughs),” leading to a series of comments that media outlets were eager to report on, significantly increasing the media exposure value following the event.
Synergy Possible Only Through Affiliated Specialists
In this project, SUNNY SIDE UP leveraged the fact that Junko Koshino is an affiliated specialist to provide comprehensive support for media relations and content design that maximized her personal appeal.
We were able to disseminate information across a wide range of media—not only in the fashion industry but also in entertainment, culture, food, and lifestyle—achieving a PR rollout that conveyed the intent and background of the collaboration in a multi-dimensional way.
Conclusion
How was it?
The success of this event was driven by SUNNY SIDE UP’s unique PR approach, which went beyond a simple fashion show to design content from the perspectives of “What will create a buzz?” and “How can we make the media want to cover this?”
SUNNY SIDE UP provides one-stop services from planning and operation to dissemination for PR and communications that deliver a brand’s appeal to society through new perspectives.
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