Jewelry Designer 1:
Bliss Lau

Lena Shirai represents 15 New York jewelry designers in the Japanese
market. I met her 20 years ago, when I interviewed for Marie Claire
Japan, 8 Japanese women who wanted to achieve their dreams in
New York. She, a jewelry designer, was one of these women.
Twenty years later, she is helping 15 young jewelry designers in
New York to market their businesses in Japan.

“Because I was a jewelry designer myself, I can understand their wants
and needs well”, she said. She not only helps their businesses grow,
but listens to their problems about design or personal matters, like
their Big Sister.

I will introduce you to three of the designers who are talented and popular
in Japan. The first is Bliss Lau. She studied Fashion Design at the
Parsons School of Design and designed clothing and handbags after she
graduated. Three years ago, she started designing jewelry.

Bliss designs jewelry the same way she does clothes.

“My jewelry is called ‘Metal Apparel’. That’s wearing jewelry like
clothes”, Bliss explained.
However, we don’t know what to call her jewelry…a necklace or a belt?
It is beyond traditional jewelry concepts.

Some of her new designs:

This almost looks like pants. If you could put this over slim leather
black pants, it would be cool.

This long necklace decorates the neck and the entire body as well.

What is this? It is actually a bracelet.
When you put your fingers through it, it decorates the palm of your hand.

She has other designs for bracelet. Bliss calls this style a “Glove”.
Lena explained her reasons for helping Bliss, “Her designs are edgy and
individualistic. She has a unique approach. Her taste pervades her designs”.

In 2005, New York Magazine picked Bliss as one of a group of young
creators who would have “Succeeded by 2010”.
To match the magazine’s prophecy, she created her own style and has
had much attention in the United States.

For example, her jewelry was on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine,
and was used in “Sex & the City 2”.
She teaches at Parson’s, where she graduated, and has lectured in Mexico
City.
You can find her designs in select shops in Japan, such as Edition, K3,
La Sage, Le Ciel Blue.
You can see more of her jewelry at www.blisslau.com

Vol.58 Jewelry Designer 1: Bliss Lau / English