MIRAMORE, a jewelry brand made in Japan based in New York, is celebrating its 5th anniversary this year. The brand has offered gender-neutral jewelry since its launch. Since the brand's inception, we have offered jewelry featuring chains that are currently trending. They create jewelry with universal design in mind, such as using Kintsugi as a theme, which is seeing a resurgence, and incorporating Braille into jewelry. When the brand was founded five years ago, it created visuals featuring male models who, at first glance, looked like women. Although the movement for gender neutrality has grown in recent years, it was not yet mainstream at the time. We asked CEO and brand visionary George Inagi Miramore about the brand and its gender-neutral movement.

Non-gendered visual created at the time of creation

WWD: What was the reason and purpose for launching Miramore as a genderless jewelry brand?

George Inagi Miramore CEO and Brand Visionaire (hereinafter referred to as Inagi):Originally, there was no concept of gender or gender neutral. I have loved jewelry since I was a child and have worn earrings since I was in high school. At the time, there were no men around me who wore jewelry, but people would say, “You look elegant.” She also sold jewelry in Komehyo, where she learned the basics of jewelry making. When the brand launched, men's jewelry was aimed solely at rappers. Most of the items were sturdy silver jewelry such as CROM HEARTS and GORO'S, and lacked sophisticated designs such as the Kihei chains ordered from Okachimachi, a town known for its jewelry. On the other hand, most women's jewelry is delicate and cute. Many women around me are independent and strong-willed, so I wanted to create jewelry that they would want to wear. So I created jewelry that can be worn by both men and women.

WWD: When you launched, who created the visuals featuring male models looking like women?

Inagi:When I went to Paris, about 10 years ago, people would say to me, “Hello, Madame,” even though we were two blocks away. The visuals are a tribute to that. I found it funny that people took her for a woman when she had hair in two blocks. I really liked the 1990s photo book “Modern Lovers” by photographer Bettina Lheims and created the visuals as a parody of myself being mistaken for a woman. I thought it was normal for men to wear jewelry and I wanted to express myself differently from other brands. I did the casting myself and also did the makeup, which included dark blue shadow and pink lipstick. Photographed in 2019 at Bettina's Parisian studio.

A heritage brand based on the universal “kintsugi”

WWD: What is the concept of the brand?

Inagi:Designed in New York, handcrafted in Japan. I moved to the United States about 10 years ago. I've always liked things made in Japan, but there aren't many famous Japanese brands in the jewelry industry. Japanese brands offer designs that suit Japanese people, but I wanted to design jewelry that would be accepted all over the world. Our goal is to establish ourselves as a sustainable jewelry brand, rather than just a passing trend. Japanese culture and artisans have a sense of “taking care of things for a long time”, and this is a big difference from America. That's why I decided to create a Japanese heritage brand that reflects Japanese culture and craftsmanship through jewelry. There aren't many people my age who create heritage brands, but they are very important in transmission. I created Kintsugi jewelry because I believe the philosophy is universal, regardless of nationality or age. I grew up in a single-parent household, so it was difficult financially and I experienced adversity growing up. At the time, all I felt was anger and conflict, but when I discovered the philosophy of Kintsugi, I began to love myself even though I was hurt. Universal design tends to be seen as focused on people with disabilities, but no one in the world has ever been hurt. Only when you recognize your wounds can you become that person. The concept is that by wearing the jewelry, the person will receive kintsugi. That’s the message “Miramore” sends.

Gender neutrality spreads as social acceptability grows

WWD: In recent years, wearing men's jewelry has become increasingly popular in Japan.

Inagi:I think it's a very good thing. Recently, many men are wearing choker necklaces and hoop earrings as earrings. Fashionable young men started wearing them about five years ago in Milan, Italy. I think the clothes young people wear will become more and more popular. That's why I observe them in Harajuku and Shibuya and reflect them in my creations.

WWD: What do you think of the changes in gender consciousness in recent years?

Inagi:When I was 20, if a man carried a bag, he was usually called gay. In the past, earrings had attributes determined by whether they were worn on the left or right, but this is no longer the case. Over the past ten years, this mindset has rapidly evolved. Gender-neutral fashion is on the rise, but Gen Z men are a little different. In the past, macho masculinity was the norm, but social acceptance has broadened and the younger generation is more liberal. I live in SoHo and Gen Z is becoming more and more fluid. For those under 25, the stereotypes of men and women in fashion break down and intersect. So there are different genders, like male, female, non-binary, and it's up to each individual to decide. This is why it is now common to call people “They” instead of “He” or “She”.

The April 8, 2024 issue of “WWD JAPAN” introduces the gender-neutral wave that is mainly spreading in the field of jewelry. Including a report on the current state of men's jewelry, we explore gender consciousness in fashion through the real-life voices of four Gen Z and Millennials. The article about REN, a member of Generation Z who designs jewelry for Limerlik, will be published on April 15.