Magenta Witch
Everyday is magical for the self-proclaimed Magenta Witch—also known as Chompoo. Her regular look consists of a perfectly colour-coordinated witch’s outfit, complete with striped socks and pointy hat. This vision in magenta is also a fortune-teller, colour therapist, and certified counsellor. Chompoo emphasizes the importance of colour in spiritual healing and creating an identity. Her commitment to colour means that she is dedicated to improving the mental health and well-being of the people she encounters. This is one message about colour that goes far beyond the visual, and hopefully, her dedication to colour will inspire you to seek out your own signature colour!
What inspired you to dress entirely in magenta? Why do you identify with magenta?
I’m a fortune-teller and colour therapist with 20 years of experience. I was surrounded by art from an early age. I studied Art History at Waseda University, and while I was there I obtained a qualification in the [study of] colour and became a professional fortune-teller.
Each colour has a different wavelength, and each colour also corresponds to a chakra that has an effect on the mind and body. With colour therapy you can figure out the colours that correspond to your energy, and the colours that you should be incorporating [into your life].
I choose to be in this colour 365 days a year because my colour is magenta. And it has become an effective branding strategy for me.
As a professional counsellor, how do you believe colour therapy could benefit Japanese society?
You feel motivated when you see a passionate red, and you experience warmth or contentment when you see a romantic pink. These examples show that our minds and bodies are tangibly affected by our sensory functions and colours. You can maintain an ideal spiritual balance and improve your natural healing abilities by asking yourself, “What colour should I choose today?”
Moreover, self-expression [can be interpreted as] the adoption of colours that you have chosen of your own volition. For Japanese people lacking an identity or the ability to assert themselves, this will greatly support you in becoming the person you want to be, and in being perceived as such by the people around you.
How do you decide what colour works for each person? Are there people who can wear multiple colours?
I identify the colours [that work] for each person after having them choose from a selection I have prepared beforehand. The most important thing is to draw attention to the colours that a person desires, even if only subconsciously, rather than [determining them] based on physical characteristics such as skin tone, hair, eye colour, and facial features. There are, of course, methods for working out which colours will flatter you based on your physical characteristics. But it is difficult to convey the person’s unique inner star with that alone. The essence of humanity is not [found] in the physical bodies [we use to navigate] this world—rather, it is in the spirit!
Yes, there are multiple colours that a given person can wear. At my colour therapy sessions it’s not just about the colours that you choose, I also tell you about the correlation between the colours that are unique to you, and the colours you have chosen on the day.
Why have you chosen the witch aesthetic?
Because that is my occupation and I’m the “Magenta Witch”. I’m a solitary Wiccan—I don’t belong to a coven, I live my life as a witch on my own terms, and develop my knowledge further.
What are your future goals and dreams?
I’ve made no secret of it, my dream, when all is said and done, is to “become a wonderful grandma witch”! Witches are able to solve problems with their keen intellect—they used to be called “cunning folk” because they healed others using their knowledge of medicinal plants. I think it is important to have a reservoir of knowledge that one can instantly tap into.
What’s the last piece of culture that you’ve loved and why?
This is not a piece of culture I’ve enjoyed recently, but I love and have been greatly influenced by philosophy—Nietzsche, Hermeticism, and the yoga sutras. It consistently underpins my outlook. Yoga is strongly related to witchcraft so I have been doing it as a part of my training for some years.
I have always loved Gone with the Wind and All About Eve. I have an unlimited appetite for works where you can observe the will to survive, and stories about women who have risen from obscurity.
Top 5 fashion must-haves?
My witch’s hat
My “Magenta Witch” necklace
“Magenta Witch” printed merchandise
My nails—they show off my occupation and identity
My motivation ring
Any last words?
Please take a look at the diverse styles of magenta fashion in my digital photo book Magenta Style Book, which is on sale at Amazon.
Introduction and questions by Katie, answers translated by Anna.