Mrs

Mrs (ミセス) was a Japanese women's fashion, high-life and high-culture magazine published by Bunka Publishing Bureau (文化出版局), the publishing arm of the Bunka Gakuen Educational Foundation. It was first issued in September 1961, initially as a special edition of the fashion magazine So-en (装苑), and it grew into one of Japan's leading magazines for married women in their thirties and later for readers in their forties and fifties. Its editorial identity combined fashion, lifestyle and culture, and it was known for its strong coverage of the latest and most luxurious trends in the fashion world. The magazine was founded under the direction of Isao Imaida, who headed the publishing bureau of Bunka Fashion College. In its early years it carried the subtitle "So-en editing" and targeted women in their thirties, including unmarried readers, reflecting the changing lifestyles of that generation compared with the younger readership of So-en. Over the decades it became a flagship title of Bunka Publishing Bureau, and by the 1970s its circulation exceeded 600,000 copies. It was described as the first Japanese magazine whose advertising revenue surpassed its sales revenue. Mrs was published by Bunka Publishing Bureau, based in the Bunka Gakuen G Building in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo. The publisher also issued related titles such as the quarterly Mrs no Kodomo-fuku (ミセスの子ども服), Mrs no Style Book (ミセスのスタイルブック) and the later High Mrs (ハイミセス), which was renamed Miman (ミマン) before ceasing publication. The main magazine continued until the April 2021 issue, released on 5 March 2021, when it was suspended. The quarterly Mrs no Style Book continued after the main title's suspension. At the time of its closure, Mrs targeted mainly married women in their forties and fifties and was distinguished among magazines for that generation by its strength in reporting the latest and most high-end trends of the fashion world. Its suspension was attributed to factors including a failure to keep up with the digital shift, difficulties in linking with mail-order sales and events because the publisher was an educational foundation, and a decline in advertising revenue during the COVID-19 pandemic. The final issue featured actress Yoshino Kimura on the cover.

Mrs was launched in September 1961 by the publishing bureau of Bunka Fashion College, headed by Isao Imaida. The first issue, volume 1 number 1, was released in the same month and dated October 1961; it was positioned as a special edition of So-en and carried the subtitle "So-en editing." Its initial target readership was women in their thirties, including unmarried women, and its appearance responded to the lifestyle changes of that generation compared with the younger readers of So-en. The cover model of the first issue was actress Junko Ikeuchi, then 27 years old. In its early issues the magazine included a section titled "Family Hygiene" with sex-related articles by Sho Narabayashi, but these disappeared after a few issues following objections from readers of the good-wife, wise-mother generation. Thereafter it avoided entertainment, sex and imperial-family articles and moved toward a fashion-centered format, described as "a magazine as refreshing as morning lemon," setting itself apart from other titles. The art director for the first three issues was Jin Ejima (1933–2014); from the fourth to the eighth issue the role was taken by Richard Rutledge (died 1985), who had been art director for Vogue in both the United States and France, introduced by Genichiro Inokuma. Although Rutledge could not read Japanese, he used the softness of hiragana in his layouts and brought a dynamic approach that dramatically changed the image from the cover photograph to the internal layout. However, the gap between American sensibilities and the still post-war Japanese standard of living caused many troubles with the editorial department, and after one year Rutledge moved to the editorial department of High Fashion. From the January 1963 issue, the title lettering for "ミセス" was changed to a typeface by graphic designer Takashi Kono. In 1964 the subtitle "So-en editing" was removed and replaced with "a magazine for wives." In the 1970s the magazine grew to a circulation of over 600,000 copies. It is said to have been the first magazine in Japan whose advertising revenue exceeded its sales revenue, and advertising, which occupied a quarter of its pages, was said to generate 400 million yen per month. It also adopted innovations in binding and other production methods that had not previously been seen in women's magazines. In June 1966 the quarterly Mrs no Kodomo-fuku (Mrs's Children's Clothing) was launched with a summer issue, and it ceased publication in 1981. From the August 1970 issue (volume 119), released in July 1970, the publisher's name changed from "Bunka Fashion College Publishing Bureau" to "Bunka Publishing Bureau," the current name. In April 1978 the quarterly Mrs no Style Book was launched with a spring issue. In May 1982 the quarterly High Mrs was launched for older readers; from its 15th issue, published in May 1986, it became bimonthly. With its 78th issue, published in January 1996, the title was changed to Miman, and after becoming monthly it ceased publication in May 2003 with its 141st issue. On 24 June 1989, founder Isao Imaida died. On 27 February 2010, High Fashion, launched in 1960, ceased publication with its April issue. On 20 November 2020 it was announced that, after a review of the direction of magazine publishing, Mrs would cease publication with the April 2021 issue released on 5 March 2021. Reasons cited for the suspension included falling behind in the digitalization of the magazine, difficulties in linking with mail-order sales and events because the publisher was an educational foundation, and a decline in advertising revenue during the COVID-19 pandemic while the foundation's school management was being reviewed as international students could not enter Japan. The cover of the final issue featured Yoshino Kimura. The quarterly Mrs no Style Book continued to be published. The magazine's target readership was mainly married women in their forties and fifties, and among magazines for that generation it was particularly strong in the latest and most luxurious trend information from the fashion world.

1. First issue of Mrs published as a special edition of So-en.
2. Title lettering changed to a typeface by graphic designer Takashi Kono.
3. Subtitle "So-en editing" removed and replaced with "a magazine for wives."
4. Quarterly Mrs no Kodomo-fuku launched.
5. Publisher name changed from Bunka Fashion College Publishing Bureau to Bunka Publishing Bureau.
6. Quarterly Mrs no Style Book launched.
7. Quarterly High Mrs launched for older readers.
8. Founder Isao Imaida died.
9. High Mrs renamed Miman.
10. Miman ceased publication with its 141st issue.
11. Announcement that Mrs would cease publication with the April 2021 issue.
12. Final issue of Mrs released.

A high-end fashion and lifestyle magazine for mature married women, distinguished by its coverage of luxury fashion trends and high culture.

• Mrs (ミセス)

  Monthly women's fashion and lifestyle magazine, published 1961–2021.

• Mrs no Kodomo-fuku (ミセスの子ども服)

  Quarterly children's clothing magazine launched in 1966, ceased in 1981.

• Mrs no Style Book (ミセスのスタイルブック)

  Quarterly style book launched in 1978, continued after the main magazine's suspension.

• High Mrs (ハイミセス)

  Quarterly for older readers launched in 1982, later renamed Miman.

• Miman (ミマン)

  Successor title to High Mrs, ceased publication in 2003.

1. 文化出版局案内
2. 個人情報の取り扱いについて
3. ミセス (雑誌) - Wikipedia
4. Mrs - Wikidata
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