Message in a boutique
Eijiro Nakatani and Masayoshi Tobita are perhaps Japanese fashion's fastest rising stars. But this artistic design duo doesn't make dresses or denim, their e.m. brand specializes in jewelry. With their creations being stocked by the prestigious Paris boutique Colette, the pair has received a huge amount of kudos and has been courted for collaborations with Moet & Chandon, Swarovski and the Tricot Comme des Garcons label.
e.m.'s store, which looks more like a contemporary art gallery than a jeweler, is in the well-heeled Shirogane district, but for several years it has had temporary boutiques in Shinjuku's Isetan department store. Their fifth such collaboration with Isetan, titled "The Message," opened last month, and presents not only their fun, asymmetrical and often distressed-look creations (pictured above), but also jewelry from upcoming designers, including kitsch bling from Yoshiko Creation Paris, skull and dagger accessories by Tom Binns and the hippy chic charms of Shelly Litvak.