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Operating under the name "NAILS BY MEI," nail artist Mei Kawajiri enchants people with her unique nail art from her base in New York. She has garnered strong support from world-renowned celebrities, receiving direct work requests from figures such as Madonna, Björk, and Marc Jacobs.
This time, we asked Kawajiri about her journey and creative style.
PROFILE
Mei Kawajiri
She began her career as a nail artist in 2002 in her birthplace of Kyoto. Later, she established the nail salon FOXXY in Harajuku, Tokyo. In 2012, she moved her base to New York, where she handled nails for shows by Balenciaga, Miu Miu, and Vivienne Westwood during Paris Fashion Week. Her celebrity clients include Dua Lipa, BLACKPINK, Marc Jacobs, Björk, Madonna, Gigi Hadid, FKA twigs, Sabrina Carpenter, Bad Bunny, Lil Nas X, Blake Lively, and Rosalía. Instagram
Using “Nails” as a Canvas for Art
What inspired you to become a nail artist?
I decided to become a nail artist when I was 18. When I first read a nail magazine, I was struck by how free it was as an art canvas, and at the same time, ideas began to flow like, "What about this art?"
I realized that nails are among the smallest parts of the body but also the most noticeable art canvas. It sparked the desire in me to walk around the city with my art on my nails, which led me to start nail art.
As I began to shape the concepts in my mind, I quickly attracted fans within about three months. At 23, I decided to go independent and opened a nail salon in Harajuku that suited my style.