Partnering with founders and companies to build thoughtful brands, products and experiences that bring together strategy, creativity and purpose—guided by Japanese craftsmanship, contemporary innovation and a deep respect for sustainability and meaningful living.
About Ad Astra V
Based in Japan, we combine a nuanced understanding of Japanese and Asian markets with extensive cross-cultural experience, helping brands navigate new opportunities with clarity, authenticity and purpose.
Our work has evolved across skincare, wellness, fashion, lifestyle and interiors—distinct yet connected fields that have shaped an integrated approach to brand building, where product, space and storytelling are considered as one.
Building on this foundation, we work closely with founders and companies seeking creative leadership, strategic direction and support in building thoughtful, design-led businesses.
By working with a select number of clients, we are able to provide highly personalised consulting, mentoring and brand development, creating meaningful partnerships that deliver lasting value and sustainable growth.
Our Services
BRAND, PRODUCT & FOUNDER PARTNERSHIP
We believe exceptional brands are built when strategy, product development and authentic storytelling evolve together. From concept and formulation through to positioning, customer experience and growth, we help founders and businesses bring a singular vision to life.
SELECTIVE PARTNERSHIPS, MEANINGFUL RESULTS
We work with a carefully selected portfolio of founders and companies, allowing us to provide highly personalised consulting, creative direction and strategic support. Every partnership is shaped around the unique needs of the business, whether launching a new concept, refining an existing brand or navigating a period of growth and transformation.
Drawing on more than two decades of experience across Japan and international markets, we connect clients with trusted manufacturers, formulators, designers, artisans and industry specialists. Beyond consulting, we serve as a sounding board, connector and long-term strategic partner, helping translate ideas into brands, products, experiences and places that create lasting value.
At the heart of our work is a belief that successful businesses are built through clarity of vision, meaningful relationships and a commitment to creating lasting value. We believe in thoughtful growth, authentic brand building and partnerships that endure beyond a single project.
FOUNDER | CREATIVE DIRECTOR | BRAND STRATEGIST
Vanessa is a creative director, brand strategist and entrepreneur who has spent more than two decades living and working in Japan.
Her work sits at the intersection of brand, product, space and experience. Spanning beauty, wellness, fashion, interiors and lifestyle, she specialises in transforming ideas into thoughtful, design-led businesses, guiding projects from initial insight and concept development through to product creation, brand identity, customer experience, retail environments and growth.
Whether developing a fragrance, shaping a visual identity, designing a retail concept, curating a pop-up exhibition or helping define the future direction of a business, Vanessa is driven by a belief that meaningful brands are built through the seamless integration of strategy, creativity and human connection.
With an instinct for both strategy and aesthetics, Vanessa has worked with multinational organisations, including Unilever, as well as founder-led businesses and independent brands at every stage of growth.
Collaborating with designers, photographers, artists, galleries and creative studios, her work moves fluidly between disciplines, bringing together product, brand and experience into a single coherent vision.
This breadth of experience—from global corporations to entrepreneurial ventures—has given her a unique perspective on how brands are built, refined and brought to life.
A natural curiosity has led her to work across disciplines, industries and creative practices throughout her career. This ability to connect seemingly disparate ideas has become a defining strength, allowing her to create brands, experiences and concepts that feel considered, distinctive and emotionally resonant.
Living in Japan for more than twenty years has deeply informed her approach, grounding her work in an appreciation for craftsmanship, restraint and detail while connecting traditional values with contemporary ideas around wellbeing, sustainability and meaningful living.
Today, she works selectively with founders and brands seeking creative leadership, strategic clarity and a trusted partner capable of shaping ideas into fully realised brand worlds—from concept to launch and beyond.
Her approach is thoughtful and highly considered, combining commercial insight with creative direction to build brands that are both meaningful and enduring.
Looking ahead, Vanessa is working toward a long-term vision: creating a retreat and, ultimately, a creative village for women in Japan.
Inspired by the belief that creativity, community and craftsmanship have the power to transform lives, the project seeks to restore and reimagine traditional properties while creating spaces for learning, connection and cultural exchange. Through practices such as movement, meditation, pottery, textile arts and other time-honoured traditions, women will be invited to gather in community, create, connect, heal and flourish.
At its heart, the vision is not only about creating beautiful spaces, but about fostering environments where people can slow down, reconnect with themselves, support one another and find renewal through creativity, nature and shared experience.
Equally important is a commitment to the communities that will become home to these projects. By preserving local heritage, supporting artisans and small businesses, and breathing new life into underutilised properties, Vanessa hopes to create something that benefits both visitors and residents alike.
It is a vision rooted in the values that have shaped her work throughout her career: thoughtful design, meaningful experiences, cultural preservation and human connection.
If this vision resonates with you—or if you would like to be part of the journey—she would love to hear from you.
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