When the New Year’s holiday season arrives, our thoughts turn to our fortunes in the coming year. In 2018, says the 9 Star Ki astrological system, Fire will play a prominent role. Fire means initiative is strong, so it should be a year of new fortunes and a significant year for new beginnings. Beauty and brilliance are also themes for the year; so, according to the system, you’ll find a great deal of happiness through good style and beauty enhancements. Today at GINZA SIX, for all these reasons, I found some items to bring good fortune in 2018.

Financial fortunes are one of the first things that come to mind at the start of any new year. This, of course, means money, but financial fortunes also affect your luck in health and relationships. It’s an important type of fortune. Since 2018 is a year for beginnings of all kinds, it’s said new fortune will come from refreshing some of the things you use daily. That makes this the perfect opportunity to replace your wallet to improve your chances of good financial fortune. It’s also a year for a step up in status; perhaps buying a nicer wallet will help conjure up the financial fortune that goes with status. Increasing my financial fortunes with a new wallet from a brand I love sounds pretty good to me!

Of all the wallets available, Jimmy Choo wallets, with their inimitable combination of style, design quality, and usability, are especially popular with both men and women. At the Jimmy Choo boutique, one of the more radiant stores at GINZA SIX, I found gold wallets to boost anyone’s financial fortunes in 2018. Gold’s a lucky color for 2018, so it’s also the perfect color for a wallet. And studs and quilting are lucky details this year, it’s said, characteristics likely to generate double the financial luck. The photo shows, starting from the left, a quilted wallet from the latest Cruise collection (63,000 yen; all prices given are before tax); a wallet with the brand’s iconic star studs (78,000 yen); and a wallet covered in star studs and crystals (98,000 yen).

The other colors that will inspire good luck this year, say the 9 Star Ki soothsayers, are beige, beige-pink, and white. In the photo above, starting from the left, we see a beige wallet (89,000 yen); a pink wallet with crystals (98,000 yen); and a white wallet from the brand’s men’s collection (91,000 yen). For all these popular items, you should inquire with the store about the stock on hand. As for the question of when to begin using the wallet you’re interested in… money is said to grow with the Water element, so the recommended time is January and February and during the night—the time of year and the hours of the day when Water brims and overflows. Another fun thing you can do: During the first nine days, if you put in three times as much money you normally do, your wallet will remember the amount and attract the good fortune you’ll need to always have that amount at hand—something like a default setting for your wallet.
The idea that putting good thoughts into buying a new wallet will bring luck with money—it’s a strong feeling every time I buy a new one. If you’ve used a wallet for at least three years or your wallet’s noticeably dinged or dingy, they’re signs you should buy a new one. To update your financial fortunes and make them even better, try giving them a boost with a brand new wallet.

Objects that shine, it’s said, are yet another booster of fortunes for 2018. Shiny clothes might be a bit much, so for a more refined style, I’d recommend smaller items like shoes or bags. Jimmy Choo is great in this respect because the line offers a large selection of shiny shoes and bags to meet anyone’s tastes. Smaller items that gleam accent your style and add a sparkle to both mood and luck.

Incidentally, one recommendation for boosting your fortunes in 2018, particularly for men, is updating your business card holder. Your business card bears your name and title, and it’s a bit like your face; the holder that stores the cards is like your home. Your business card also often makes an appearance in face-to-face interactions, so it’s a key item for making a first impression. Beyond that, it affects the type of personal network one can develop. 2018 is a year for a step up in status. Moving up to a new business card holder can help accomplish this—so say the soothsayers—so don’t miss the opportunity. Find a favorite business card holder that will help create a great first impression and make fortunate connections.

The lucky colors for a business card holder are said to be navy blue and green. These LOEWE business card holders by Jonathan Anderson, who knows a great deal about art as well, feature refined leather that exudes the craftsmanship of a long-established maison and an appealing presence generated by a mix of whimsy and design sensibility. The price may be something of a stretch, but, in 2018, a little extra work at pushing your limits will be rewarded with increased status. The photo shows, starting from left, a navy blue business card holder with a brown interior (46,000 yen) and a business card holder with a novel linen-like texture (37,000 yen).

In addition to feeling great in your hands, this quality Nappa business card holder from a distinguished brand is an item sure to add patina to your status. The interior and exterior are different colors, too, to further stimulate good fortune.

Given the prominence of the Fire element in 2018, looking at fire will strengthen your life force and help renew fortunes. Good aromas, too, can lead to promising connections. In the new year, under the various circumstances arising in your life, it might be a good idea to add some scented candles and make every day a happy day. At diptyque, the fragrance brand shop, you’ll undoubtedly find the perfect aroma for your mood today.

Of the romantic candles displayed in the store, I can especially recommend the limited-time winter collection with three different scents: Frosted Forest, redolent of the scent of a deep imposing forest; Fiery Orange, which gives off a fresh, rich orange aroma; and Incense Tears, which offers a stimulating, spicy aroma. They’re all perfectly matched to the scents that will bring good fortune in 2018. These lucky items make perfect gifts for that special someone or perfect little rewards for yourself.

Aromas are something invisible to the eye. Carefully consider the inspiration awakened when you hold a candle in the store, take in its aroma, and in this way find your favorite.

The New Year’s gift season is the perfect time to create wonderful connections. It’s said gifts join your qi with the qi of another—giving gifts delivers good luck and deepens bonds. Wrapping a gift with a ribbon is the key to giving gifts that bring happiness. A ribbon symbolically joins two people. It’s a good reason to wrap a ribbon around your gift before presenting it to someone you want to get along with or to deepen a connection. A ribbon links your fate to the other person’s fate. The photo shows three aromas from this candle collection (70 g, 13,000 yen).

diptyque operates just five boutiques in Japan. This store is a great opportunity to experience a wonderful world of fantastic aromas.

Finally, getting brand new towels is one initiative I’d especially recommend for the new year. It’s said a woman’s skin, dewy with moisture from washing or bathing, absorbs good fortune from the first object that touches her skin. That means the towel you use to dry yourself affects the impression you make. Using a dirty towel creates an unclean impression; using an old towel creates a faded tired impression; using a smelly towel creates an odoriferous impression… The towel you use is more important than you might think. This new year, then, is the perfect time to buy pure, clean towels that will add a sense of freshness and purity to the impression you make.

TOWEL THINK LAB is the only boutique at GINZA SIX that specializes exclusively in towels. The towels are crafted in Imabari, Aichi Prefecture, a region renowned for its towels. They’re made from premium cotton (Suvin and Supima), are soft to the touch and absorb water remarkably well. The boutique’s towel concierge carefully explains the towel’s characteristics and points of special appeal, all of which add to the enjoyment of using these towels.

Women in particular pick up fortune, it’s said, from objects that touch their skin. Objects that feel good next to the skin bring good fortune. After touching all the towels in the store, I can say my personal favorite is the Pure series. My heart was eased by the ultrasoft feel on the skin, a softness achieved with luxurious nontwist fibers of the already soft Supima cotton. The store features an assortment of sizes, including minihandkerchiefs, face towels, and bath towels.

You can also boost your status, it’s said, by adding a monogram of your initials to your towel. It’s a perfect idea for improving your fortunes in 2018. A variety of letter fonts and sizes allows for innumerable permutations, and that’s part of the fun. A very special and highly original towel is a great way to get 2018 off to a sparkling start.

Places where people’s excitement pools brim with positive energy—they’re truly power spots! If you’re beset by flagging energy and you want to change the flow, visit GINZA SIX, a venue that generates excitement among visitors. You’ll find a power boost and perhaps a change for the better. In 2018, when new things will bring good fortune, I hope every day will bring the excitement of shopping and cultural experiences and joy.

Text: Yoshifumi Aoki,　Photos: Akemi Kurosaka,　Edit: Yuka Okada