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Meeting Ena Matsumoto - Like a dream

I will never forget the day when I felt like I was the luckiest girl alive on the 24 August 2011 to be able to stand so close to someone who has been a strong fashion inspiration to me. I am truly obsessed with her and you could tell by how frequent I blog about her here. I cannot recall when was the time I started to develop a liking towards her but one thing I am certain of is that, my liking towards this person has grown stronger ever since.

Her name is Ena Matsumoto, the producer of mode fashion brand called Emoda.

She is the person who defies black and white as a very convenient and easy colour to be used in fashion by impressing me with the countless unpredictable and unique style/combination. Of course behind her is an awesome EMODA team, e.g, designer, who have a lot to be credited for the brand’s success. But all these cannot be possible without Ena to front EMODA; someone who accentuate the beauty of mode style so well that it is almost impossible for someone to miss.

I have finally lived my dream of meeting her in real life, in such an exclusive setting right here in my country. I wasn’t even hopeful about being lucky and be able to see her but it happened! What more can I asked for? As if meeting Ena isn’t one of the best things that happened to me, I even got to see a whole group of people who matters to her the most, Ena’s whole family! I saw her father, mother, sister, sister’s CUTE kids and boyfriend!!! What more can I ask for?! She is in Singapore for a family vacation, boyfriend included! :P More on the boyfriend later, haha! 

Before I start to do a recount(for future self-reading so as to relive the experience again!), I want to thank

ORENJII for sending me a private message to inform me about Ena’s arrival here at Singapore!  I don’t read Ena’s blog on daily basis so luckily I have fellow Ena’s fan to inform me of that. I was jumping when I saw her PM. 

THANK YOU ORENJIIII!!!! I am very grateful!

P.S: Follow her blog here if you like Ena and Japanese fashion. I love her blog because she posts tonnes of gorgeous Ena’s photos!

My boyfriend who suggested me to take TAXI instead of MRT, else how would meeting Ena be in such a miraculous sequence of timely events. I know that sounds silly but I could have let the chance slip by me with a difference of few minutes. You will know what I mean when I explain later.

Zynthia and Michelle for helping me with the translation on Ena’s blog post about our encounter.

And kind fellow tumblrers and facebook friends who wrote in to share my joy and congratulate me.

I am eternally grateful.

Sorry about being so long-winded here(on high mode) so let’s jump right into the recount and what took place on my journey to meeting her. :D

Knowing about her arrival

That day was a usual day for me. After work, I went straight for dinner alone and while I was heading back home on bus, I received an email from ORENJII about Ena’s arrival in Singapore. I was so surprised, excited and thrilled at the same time. It could be the only one chance to see her in real life and I knew I had to do something else I would regret for not seizing the chance. And with that determination, I went back home to get changed. 

Back home, my mind was in a state of mess. I was totally unprepared and I did not know what I needed to do to meet her. My bf recommended that I take a cab as Marina Bay Sands was quite inaccessible from my home. I hesitated but in the end I took his advice and luckily I did! I also took along EMODA’s A/W emook, some past VIVI magazine cuttings which featured her and the EMODA spectacle I bought online along with me.

I got on the cab and off I went to Marina Bay Sands. On the cab, I was looping Ena’s Only One song non-stop :P

Getting to and arriving at the hotel

After getting off from the cab, I wasn’t confident about asking concierge for help to pass her a message or waiting aimlessly while not knowing which tower she was staying can guarantee a chance to see her in person. To be honest, I wasn’t even thinking I would get to see her! Plus my bag was in a mess and I thought I needed to head to the restroom first to sort out my bag and my mind first. So I continued to walk straight down while keeping a look out for Ena until ….

I SAW SOMEONE’S BACK VIEW NEAR THE LIFT LOBBY WHICH LOOKED LIKE…

ENA MATSUMOTO! That person was wearing leopard print oversized top and had a blonde ponytail! Isn’t that one of my favourite Ena’s mode style? Don’t tell me that my luck was so freaking good that I did not even need to do anything for Ena to be standing right in front of my face?!

Before I snapped out from these thoughts to react back, that person who looked like Ena-chan was about to walk towards the lift lobby and I got a little panic. Finally I let out a little scream, 

『えなちゃーーーーん』 — Ena-chan! Just as how Ena mentioned in the blog post. The person turned back looking all confused and a little worried is none other than Ena Matsumoto!!!!!! The person I had been following on print and online had finally came alive! <-LOL! I cannot believe how fortunate I had gotten to be able to bump into her at an odd hour, around 9.15 p.m., when a tourist should be out playing instead of being at a lift lobby. 

Seeing Ena!!!!!!

Everything was happening too quickly and since I wasn’t actually expecting to see her in this manner, I didn’t feel nervous when I continued to walk up towards her. Her confused look was sure cute! I smiled at her and bought out the EMODA A/W 2010 emook, thinking that would helped to explain my intention of being here since I do not speak Japanese. She then looked surprised and let out a little 『えーーーー』 — Ehhhh —- This is the typical Japanese reaction which express realisation.

That face of her is simply beautiful! Perfect makeup and VERY FLAWLESS skin. Cat eye makeup created by heavy yet elaborated eyeliner and the fake lashes she used were very defined. This is the makeup I have been wanting to learn from her and now that I had the chance to see it in real life up-close, I feel so privileged! Yes, I am crazy about Japanese makeup technique.

Ena Matsumoto, just the kind of face that will grab people’s attention. But I was quite surprised by her petite body frame though. In real life, she is a tad skinny actually. But who cares, she is looking super gorgeous like nobody’s business.

Then I noticed a guy who stayed close to her and another group of people, few elderly, a pretty young lady who looked confused as well and a few really adorable kids. I later learned on her blog that these people are Ena’s family member.

As for that guy, he is Ena’s bf of 9 years! Coincidentally one of the Chinese version of VIVI magazine cuttings which I bought on that day featured Ena’s private life and a mentioning of the both of them as a couple. I only realised he was Ena’s bf after I got back home and re-read the article. 

Interaction with Ena and boyfriend

The conversation started off with Ena talking to me in Japanese. I know a little Japanese and she seemed to be asking if I am a Japanese touring in Singapore. I replied:” Singapuru-jin desu.” - I am a Singaporean. She then realised I am a Singapore fan. Teehee.

Then I pointed to the EMODA book, signalling if I could get her signature. Her boyfriend seemed to catch what I was implying and told her about it. She kindly obliged and nodded her head while looking at me and said:” OK” with a smiling face.

This is the moment I had been waiting for! I told myself if I ever go to Japan I will make sure to be all geared for signature opportunities. Now this is happening but… where the heck is my marker? Remember I said my bag was in a mess and I was heading towards the restroom to sort my bag but I saw Ena instead?

I frantically digged for my marker in my bag but took hell lot of time to search for it. Her boyfriend stood next to me waiting patiently. While digging for the marker, I took out and shown her the collection of magazine cutting which featured her. She laughed and looked slightly embarrassed and uttered some Japanese. I wished I understood what she was trying to say. As I continued to dig for the marker, Ena walked towards her family and seemed to be explaining to them about what was going on and asked for them to wait. I kept apologising while I continued to search for my bag. 

When I finally found it, Ena chan did a really CUTE AND FUNNY thing! She took a look at my marker which doesn’t really look like a decent marker and spoke some Japanese to her bf, probably asking if this marker is working or not. And guess what she did next! She opened up the cap and tested the marker ON HER HAND! It is a marker for god’s sake! Haha! But I feel touched somehow. I mean look, she is a huge celebrity in Japan but not only is she friendly and not putting on airs, she was making a lot of effort to fulfill my wish of attaining her signature. Of course she was being very patient to me. 

She almost wanted to sign on the cover but luckily I kinda stopped her in time because it would be a waste for her signature to be on the cover of some random model. So I did the hand stopping gesture and flipped over to a place where she beautifully graced a page and gotten her signature!!!

YEAHHHHH!!!! <3 I am so happy I can die! Then once she was done signing for me, I tried an attempt to ask her a question so that I could be around her longer T.T I asked in Japanese:”Singapuru wa atsui desu ka?” - Is Singapore humid?  She didn’t catch it for the first time so I repeated myself again. Once she gotten that, she replied smiling:” Atsui desu” - Humid. Her boyfriend agreed too! LOL!  You can tell by how amateurish my Japanese language is, lol! 

Next, I asked if it would be okay to take photographs with her, the moment I had been waiting for!!!!!! She kindly agreed and told her bf and guess what her BF did? Her BF bought out Ena’s camera instead of thinking I wanted it on my camera, lol! So cute! So I gave him my camera and he implied if I wanted it on my camera too? I nodded and with that,  I passed him my camera.

There we were, standing very close to each other and I was abt readily to pose for a photo. Guess what my cute Ena-chan did? She pointed to my EMODA magazine which was inside my bag and gestured to hold up EMODA emook for photo-taking! Ah, that is when I realised most of the photos she took with her fan was of them holding up on EMODA’s related products. Good strategical producer indeed.

Here is our photos :D

Off we took some pictures. There were a number of passerby looking at us. But I started feeling nervous I don’t know how! My mouth was literally twitching from putting on smile, argh! And I think her bf could tell that is why he took a couple more shots. Then Ena’s bf used my camera to take photos. He wasn’t too sure how to operate my camera and asked which is the shutter button so I went forward to point to him. 

Shutter clicked once and I thanked the both of them for the photo. Ena seemed to be asking her bf if the photos were ok (OMG WHY IS SHE SUCH A NICE PERSON to care abt these) and seemed to want me to check on the photo after her BF replied. I didn’t quite catch that till she spoke one English word, “Dark”. The photos turned out dark. So we walked forward towards her BF and I was saying ‘Flash’ and Ena repeated after me saying ‘hmm’ ‘flash’, so cute!

Back to the same spot where he took one more photo on my camera with flash. I asked for another shot just in case and he thought I wanted another shot on Ena’s camera. In the end, we took another shot on both of our camera. Sorry about the confusion both :P

Once we were done, I thanked them both again for all these. Just before she was about to go, she spoke another Japanese sentence to me which I couldn’t understand but I heard the word “puru”. I guess she was asking something about Marina Bay Sands’ sky pool. I thought they were asking about which level the sky pool was and said I can check with the staff there. Ena seemed to know what I was implying and shook her head and said never mind with a smile. I thanked them once again, and this time round her BF was very eager to shake his head implying it was perfectly ok that I held up their time. Her bf seemed to be such a terribly and genuine nice person too.

With that, I knew this miraculous encounter was about to end and I told Ena to Enjoy Singapore in English but I don’t think she understand. But it doesn’t matter, I was freaking happy, so happy I can die.

Then they took their leave while the rest of Matsumoto’s family members waited downstairs. I saw her and her bf walking away from me towards the lift, which was their original intention before I interrupted them. At the same time, I couldn’t help but to think if I ever missed out on them for a few seconds, all of these beautiful memories would not have happened. I would not have seen Ena to witness how gorgeous she is in person, know how nice she and her bf were and seen the group of people who matter to her the most. I was very very fortunate. Everything happened just on time and I am very very grateful for that. Before I took my leave, Ena’s sister’s kids were right in front of me looking back at me in their innocent look. How cute. And off I go to the restroom.

Good bye Ena-chan. Thank you so much for the memories. 

Being featured on the her blog

The next day, I saw myself on her blog and I was jumped with joy! I was SUPER HAPPY! She blogged about meeting our encounter here. Most of all, I love the vintage feel photo she edited of us. 

I couldn’t understand what she blogged about our encounter in Japanese so I asked for help on translation.Here a translation my friend done for me. Thanks a lot, it helped to fill up some gaps.

Here is what she blogged about our encounter.

Then, I was walking along the lobby when I was planning to go for my meal, 
[ena chaaaaan] a voice calling….. 
I thought it was a friend of mine and I took a look. 
It was a supporting fan from Singapore.

What’s more shocking is that [MODE GAL] which is being sold previously and 
a bagful of enari’s magazine clips, I am very shocked but happy.

I am very touched that people out of Japan know about enari and EMODA.
Also, I am very happy that she brought lots of magazine clips and MODE GAL at this timing.
Thank you very much.

I will update on Little China* later!
So, till here.

I am still feeling extremely high and cannot stop smiling whenever I see our photo. The photo is now my lock screen so whenever I switch on my phone, I see us. :D I cannot help to feel surreal at the same time but whenever I see myself standing next to her in the photo, I know this had happened. 

She was all that I dreamt she was, and more :) I am grateful and will never forget this day.