Interview with Louis Vuitton Jewelry Designer Kodo Nawa on Building a Career at a Renowned European Maison
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A chance encounter on a trip can have a significant impact on one's future life. Kodo Nawa, who now works as the manager of the high jewelry design department at Louis Vuitton, is one such person who had this experience.
It was actually a Tiffany exhibition in London that led Nawa to pursue a career in jewelry. Visiting this exhibition became the starting point for his journey as a jewelry designer. We asked Nawa in Paris about jewelry and his career.
PROFILE
Kodo Nawa
Born in Kyoto Prefecture In 2004, at the age of 24, he was enthralled by the world of jewelry in Paris, where he learned jewelry design and craftsmanship on his own. He has since worked long term as a designer of high jewelry and watches at prestigious maisons such as Lorenz Bäumer, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Louis Vuitton.
A Place Where Thoughts Were Librated
In mid-March, when the winter cold still lingered in the streets of Paris, I met with Nawa in front of the Louis Vuitton headquarters at an Italian cafe. The cafe is located in a prime area of Paris, at the foot of the Pont Neuf bridge over the Seine River.
Photography by Yukinobu Shuzui
Nawa is a man with a gentle demeanor, now 43 years old. He came to Paris in 2004, starting his career at Lorenz Bäumer and later moving through Van Cleef & Arpels and London's Graff before returning to Paris to rejoin Louis Vuitton. His experiences and initiative are not overtly visible but are firmly held within.