"Laughing on the Runway," serialized in Weekly Shonen Magazine, is a rare shonen manga about the fashion industry. However, it also explores themes of friendship and hard work, typical of shonen manga. Even those who aren't interested in fashion can easily become captivated by the story, which has garnered significant attention. The anime adaptation of "Laughing on the Runway" will begin airing in January 2020. This article will explore the modeling agency, Mille Neige, to which Chiyuki Fujito belongs.
About Chiyuki Fujito's Agency, Mille Neige
Chiyuki Fujito, the heroine of "Laughing on the Runway," is affiliated with Mille Neige, a modeling agency that also handles apparel and cosmetics. At 158cm tall, Chiyuki Fujito is short for a model. Her dream is to walk the runway at Paris Fashion Week, a show she watched as a child, and she devotes every day to working hard to achieve that dream. First, let's take a look at her agency, Mille Neige.
A Company Run by Kenji Fujito
Mille Neige is a company run by Chiyuki Fujito's father, Kenji Fujito. Its focus is on the modeling business, and in the past, former model Shizuku Naruoka even walked the runway at Paris Fashion Week. After seeing Shizuku walk the runway with her father, Chiyuki Fujito set her sights on walking the runway at Paris Fashion Week as a Mille Neige model from that day on.
The Origin of the Name: Chiyuki Fujito
The name Mille Neige embodied Kenji Fujito's heart. Before Chiyuki Fujito was born, Kenji told his mother that he had decided on the name of his company. From the start, it was decided to use French, and the company "Mille Neige" was born by transcribing Chiyuki's name into French. Mille Neige means "a thousand snowflakes," a fitting name for a doting Kenji.
Expanding into Modeling and Apparel Businesses
Mille Neige began as a modeling business, then expanded into apparel and cosmetics. As for the apparel business, it's a brand that Chiyuki regularly wears, and likely uses quite a bit of in cosmetics. After being forced to quit Mille Neige, Chiyuki asks Ikuto Tomura, a man she had no contact with at school, to create "the clothes that would make her the most attractive." Kenji notices the clothes, and the story unfolds.
People Associated with Mille Neige
Mille Neige is not a particularly large company in the story. However, it is a company with many associates, including former model Shizuku Naruoka, who has appeared in the Paris Fashion Week, and former designer Hajime Yanagida. Let's take a look at the people associated with Mille Neige. They are all essential characters in the story, so be sure to check them out.
Chiyuki Fujito
After dreaming of walking the runway at Paris Fashion Week, Chiyuki Fujito worked as a model for Mille Neige. Although she was seen as a promising talent, her growth stagnates as she grows. At 158cm, she's petite for a model, so the agency terminates her contract. She then relentlessly auditions for new agencies, but when she retakes the audition wearing clothes made by Ikuto Tomura, Shizuku is reminded of the Paris Fashion Week scene, and so Chiyuki Fujito re-emerges as a Mille Neige model.
Kenji Fujito
Chiyuki Fujito's daughter and Mille Neige's president. Not only does he have a doting side, but he also cares deeply for Ikuto Tomura, who always makes Chiyuki Fujito smile, and his friendly demeanor is memorable. He also provides numerous forms of support to Ikuto Tomura, believing that he can help Chiyuki achieve her dreams, especially with Mille Neige's financial difficulties. While Kenji may be pushing his own selfish desires on her, he is portrayed as acting desperately for his daughter and Ikuto.
Hajime Yanagida
A designer, he runs his own brand, "HAZIME YANAGIDA," but later joins the top brand, "Aphro I dite." Originally working as a designer for Mille Neige, he knew Kenji Fujito well. However, perhaps because he knew the circumstances that led to the company's financial downturn, they have since become at odds. He also knows Kenji's daughter, Chiyuki, and shares a similar relationship with her. However, deep down, he is a caring and ambitious person.
Shizuku Naruoka
The first model to walk the runway at Paris Fashion Week for Mille Neige, she is retired and working as a manager at the start of the story. She admires Chiyuki Fujito and has recognized her potential since she was a child. During her third year of high school, she once again senses her potential. After witnessing a 158cm tall model walking the runway at Paris Fashion Week, she signs Chiyuki back to Mille Neige as a model and begins to support her.
The Reasons for Mille Neige's Poor Financial Condition
Although it's not mentioned early in the story, Mille Neige's financial situation is not good. This is due to Kenji Fujito's past actions, and since the story began, they have been struggling to survive behind the scenes. Here, we'll summarize the reasons why Mille Neige's financial situation has deteriorated to the point where bankruptcy and merger are on the horizon.
Olivia's Eyes on Me
Kenji Fujito is confident in high society that his daughter is superior to Charlotte, the granddaughter of fashion industry icon Olivia Carey. While discussing this with Mai Ayano, Olivia intervenes and glares at Kenji, insulting her daughter. Kenji remains undeterred, asserting that Chiyuki is superior, but he is still treated like a baby in front of those in power.
Survival in the Japanese Fashion Industry Becomes Difficult
After Olivia's eye on him, Mille Neige's position in Japan, as well as the rest of the world, becomes precarious. With the company struggling to survive, Kenji confesses to Ikuto Tomura that he has been taking down-to-earth measures to keep Mille Neige afloat. By the time he tells him about his current situation, he only has six months left. Kenji asks Ikuto Tomura to take Chiyuki to Paris, but Tomura shows no hesitation and continues to move forward, leaving him ashamed of himself for losing confidence in his daughter.
A way to survive is also proposed, but...
Kenji has a friend from his school days, Wataru Aizawa, who works at the major Emmy Productions and, like Kenji, is in the entertainment industry. He comes to his friend's rescue when he's in a critical situation, cooperating to somehow keep Mille Neige afloat. However, this is reaching its limit, and he proposes to Kenji that they merge with an overseas modeling agency, which would improve management, even if it meant changing the company's name. However, since it would be meaningless without Mille Neige, Kenji chooses to remain afloat in his own way, rather than reaching out to help his friend.
Summary
It's revealed that Chiyuki Fujito's modeling agency, Mille Neige, has been in a critical situation since Ikuto Tomura and Chiyuki graduated from high school. Up until then, there had been no hint of a dangerous situation, but this was all thanks to the efforts of Kenji Fujito, who worked behind the scenes to keep his daughter from worrying. Will the two be able to reach Paris Fashion Week while Mille Neige continues to exist? Above all, we're curious to see whether Chiyuki's goal of appearing at Paris Fashion Week as a Mille Neige model will be achieved.
