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2025.08.22
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How ZOZO NEXT's "Afterglow" Lampshade Landed a Spot at "SaloneSatellite 2025," the Premier Showcase for Up-and-Coming Designers

#ZOZO NEXT
#Afterglow
#Milan Salone
#Lampshade Design
#Emerging Designer
#SaloneSatellite
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"Afterglow," a prototype lampshade crafted with a thermochromic material that changes color with heat, was developed by the research team at ZOZO NEXT. This exquisite product was showcased at the "SaloneSatellite 2025" in Milan, Italy—an internationally renowned launchpad for designers under 35.
We sat down with Michika Saji, the designer from the Product Engineering team behind "Afterglow," and Motoki Takano, the team's Lead who supported the exhibition, to get the inside story on its development and journey to Milan.
PROFILE
Michika Saji
Michika Saji

After studying industrial design in college, Michika Saji joined the IoT/Textile Dept. at ZOZO NEXT, Inc. as a designer in 2021. She currently focuses on prototyping textiles and related products, as well as designing and developing new experiences that use textiles as a medium.

PROFILE
Motoki Takano
Motoki Takano

Lead of the Product Engineering team and a device engineer. Motoki Takano joined ZOZO NEXT, Inc. in 2022. Within the IoT/Textile Dept., he is involved in the research and development of new core technologies for smart textiles and devices, as well as new business development. His primary responsibilities include circuit and enclosure design, and hardware/software implementation.

It All Started with Developing a Color-changing Textile

First, could you tell us what sparked the idea for "Afterglow"?
SajiThe idea for "Afterglow" emerged from an exploration of the delicate interplay between light, material, and color. I was especially captivated by the color-shifting properties of thermochromic materials. The way the colors gently and cyclically change with the temperature reminded me of the natural flow of time, like the changing seasons or the cycle of day and night.
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