Meet Mei Kawajiri, anime artist and fashion industry favorite manicurist
In a word, Mei Kawajiri's nail art is top-notch. Literally. Whether bold, centimeter-long or delicately hand-painted, Mei's nails are anything but basic. In fact, her playful news feed, punctuated by daring looks, is populated by celebrities.
Based in New York, Mei is raising the profile of nail artists worldwide. Her work for the world's top fashion brands places the art of manicure and make-up on an equal footing. Thanks to high-profile clients such as Gigi and Bella Hadid, Spanish singer Rosalía and Dua Lipa, it seems Mei's creativity has more support than ever. She even taught a CNN journalist how to do her own nails at home during the pandemic. How can you not love her?
Read our interview with Mei Kawajiri for a behind-the-scenes look at what's in store for the nail art star.
Can you give our readers a brief overview of your work and your background?
Hello ! I was born in Kyoto, Japan, and moved to New York in 2012 to pursue a full-time career in nail art. I trained at a manicure school in Japan, but the techniques I'm best known for, my brushwork and 3D sculpting, have been perfected through real-life experience and simple risk-taking!
New York is such a dynamic, colorful and diverse place. Did your style or inspirations evolve when you moved there?
I love color so much, and growing up in Japan had a huge influence on me. Having a unique sense of style is part of where I come from. New York is also extremely bright and bold, I think that's why I'm inspired by New York every day, even after living there for 8 years. New York is filled with a diversity that doesn't exist anywhere else!
We love the playfulness of your work and the level of detail that characterizes it. How do you make something that is technically very difficult so much fun?
I love being challenged, it keeps me ahead of the game and pushes me to evolve as an artist. I never want to do the same thing over and over again.
Clearly, fashion is an important part of your life. What are your favorite collaborations to date?
I was lucky enough to find my way into the fashion world thanks to some truly incredible designers and creative directors who believed in me and the power of nails. I'm so happy that nail art is recognized by some of the biggest names like Balenciaga and Marc Jacobs. With their creative directors, we've created iconic runway shows and campaign images that show that nails are just as important to a look as hair or make-up.
What impact has the online nail art community had on your life? Is it more fun to create knowing that many people see and appreciate your work?
One of the things I think about all the time is how great it would be to be everywhere at once! In a way, that's what I'm doing by showing my work online. Having my own community who are as passionate about nails as I am makes me feel a very strong bond with people who live on the other side of the world.
Tell us about your "Ani-Mei" project. Does drawing help you find new creative avenues beyond nail art?
100% !! I feel limitless when I draw Ani-Mei. There are no restrictions on the nails she wears, and in this fantasy world she lives in. They give her special powers to do whatever she wants! I've been drawing since I was a little girl, and I've no intention of stopping!
Apart from fashion and nails, do you find inspiration in other creative fields?
Absolutely, I find inspiration everywhere, but I really enjoy looking at fine art, anime, film and even furniture design. For me, it's really important not to limit yourself to looking at nail references found online or what other people are doing. It's by taking inspiration from different things that you stay original!
Do you have any new projects on the horizon that you'd like to share?
So much so! I'm working on bigger projects that I can't wait to share with you! Follow me on Instagram @nailsbymei