With the keyword of "specialness for daily use," the first men's jewelry select shop in the Bay Cruise Group, WORLDLY-WISE offers a wide selection of jewelry from contemporary trend-setting jewelry brands to vintage jewelry of luxury brands from around the world. WORLDLY-WISE" is the first men's jewelry select store in the Bay Cruise Group.last timeFollowing Naoki Ikeda, a stylist at BAYCREW'S "SUN/kakke" and an old friend of Kenya Shigezumi, a buyer, Yuhi Ozaki, a designer at "SUN/kakke," and Taisuke Nakamuro, a representative of "muroffice" visited the store. The two BAYCREW'S alumni engaged in lighthearted conversation and showed us the store's charms through items that can only be found here.
After working as a buyer for Edifice since 2001, he launched FilMelange in 2007, became independent in 2011, and now handles buying in addition to directing his own brand, SUN/kakke.
Taisuke Nakamuro
Joined BAYCREW'S in 2000. After leaving the company in 2007, she worked as a freelance press representative and is currently the representative and director of the PR office "muroffice".
A new genre of Native Canadian jewelry and art.
What items will you be introducing to them this time?
multiple dwellingThe first thing the two of you should see is the Native Canadian jewelry and art that has been selected since the opening of Worldly Wise. These are jewelry and art pieces created by Native Canadians living on the Northwest Coast of North America, using birds and animals around them as motifs. Vintage pieces exist, of course, but this time we are focusing on artists who are currently active. As you can see, you can really feel the atmosphere that is a bit different from the rugged objects born in the United States.
NakamuroI see. Which area is that?
multiple dwellingFirst of all, they are very elaborately made. The technique of cutting out a part of the piece, called "cutout," is used, and I think it is interesting because it is different from the Native American way of making jewelry.
NakamuroWhat are these motifs?
multiple dwellingThe ring and bangle that we commissioned him to make for us feature hummingbirds and killer whales. Now, Mr. Ozaki is holding a bangle made of solid 14K gold. Gold is rare in this genre, but I propose it as an item for adults.
NakamuroAnyway, it has a great presence and impact! How long does it take you to make one of these bangles?
multiple dwellingEverything is handmade, so it takes four to five days to finish one deeply carved piece. Moreover, even with the same designations, the expressions may differ slightly, which is part of the artist's pride and attention to detail, I suppose.
tailIndeed, for the same motif, the expressions are totally different (laughs).
multiple dwellingSometimes the artist will ask, "Can I change the design a little bit? Such blank spaces are the beauty of handmade products, so we allow them to do so freely.
NakamuroBy the way, the silver one here is really thin.
multiple dwellingThe thickness is about 1 mm. It needs to be this thin to express delicate cutouts.
NakamuroI was surprised at the quality of the work as I had no idea it was hand carved!
multiple dwellingIn Canada, there are many cast products that are made by molding a prototype and casting it, but they are completely different.
tailThat's really true. I saw a similar piece of jewelry in Vancouver for about 30,000 to 40,000 yen. It was a cast piece, wasn't it?
multiple dwellingMoreover, "Worldly Wise" commissions jewelry from three different artists, each with a different personality, and I think you will enjoy that aspect as well.
tailNative Canadian jewelry and art is a genre that has not been covered much in Japan until now. Totem poles are another example.
multiple dwellingSo it is. Totem poles are actually not an object of worship, but are like family crests in Japan, so from the perspective of art, they are the same.
NakamuroI see! I never knew that before.
tailThis silkscreened artwork would be just like that. I like it.
multiple dwellingMany of the motifs here are birds, such as hummingbirds, thunderbirds, and ravens, and they are easy to decorate a room.
tailI also went to Vancouver to buy one of these. There were other variations such as bears and killer whales, and it was interesting to see how much they cherished the crabs there (laughs).
NakamuroThis is completely new to me, but it's interesting that it seems somewhat modern. How did you know Ozaki?
tailOriginally, this was the wallpaper for the president's Nakamuro at the Salish Lodge & Spa hotel in Seattle, which appears in the international drama "Twin Peaks. I started digging from there and ended up in Canada. From there, I flew to Vancouver to get the actual piece.
NakamuroI once stayed at the hotel where that was filmed, but the wallpaper was normal. It looked like some kind of luxury resort hotel. Maybe the indoor scenes were shot separately.
tailI like it.
multiple dwellingHow were you treated locally?
tailThe quality of the products was very high and varied, ranging from high-end art galleries and stores to souvenir shops catering to tourists. Traditional art and culture are very important to the local people, and the people who actually make these items are native Canadians. The works of well-known artists were highly valued, regardless of the age of the vintage items.
Subconsciously, we choose "things that feel their roots.
NakamuroBy the way, Shigezumi, what made you decide to deal with this genre?
tailThat is certainly a concern.
multiple dwellingWhen I started to deal in jewelry at Worldly Wise, I thought again, "What are my criteria for choosing things? I realized that I have been unconsciously choosing things that have roots. I am not referring to Mr. Ozaki's story, but by digging a little deeper and looking at the background, we can find wonderful things. I wanted to handle such items.
NakamuroI see, so that was your perspective.
multiple dwellingEven today, when information is more readily available, there are still things that we wonder why we can't find in Japan, and things that we search for but can't find. That is why we have to introduce them to the world while asking, "Why don't we look at things from a broader perspective? That is why I think we need to introduce things while asking, "Why don't we look at things from a broader perspective?
tailJewelry used to be popular when people could easily tell which brand it was from, but now it seems that values are changing again, as if it is cooler to know something that not everyone knows. In that sense, I think it fits with the atmosphere of today, like this Native Canadian art.
Mr. Ozaki, you have a unique mix of accessorizing as well as dressing.
tailI think I choose pretty much based on intuition. I like designs that make people think, "What the heck is this? I like designs that make people think, "What the heck is this? I don't care about the brand, the age, or the country of production. I have a slight allergy to metals, and I get itchy if brass or nickel is mixed in with silver, so I choose jewelry made of proper materials.
NakamuroSo your own body is your litmus paper.
tailThat's why I'm very picky about materials (laughs).
Nakamuro, on the contrary, has a simple arm circumference.
NakamuroI don't usually wear jewelry at all. I was influenced by a sentence in a men's wear book I read when I was at Edifice: "A watch is the only piece of jewelry a man is allowed to wear. But listening to Mr. Shigezumi's passionate talk like this made me want to buy a bangle!
tailNo, I think it suits you well. Even in terms of the face.
NakamuroFacially! Well, I'm about to turn 40, and the meaning of wearing jewelry is changing from my 20s and 30s.
tailI agree. I feel that I have reached an age when it is acceptable to wear jewelry. On the other hand, if you don't wear any jewelry, you may look childish. It's the same with watches.
multiple dwellingThey also carry vintage watches, so Nakamuro-kun is a must-see.
NakamuroI'm really interested in that one, so please let me come and take a look at it at a later date (laughs). Also, the vintage signet ring that Mr. Shoki introduced in the last article looks like something I could try even if I am not familiar with jewelry.
multiple dwellingThere was a time when only the privileged were allowed to wear them, and they are also called signet rings. As it is an item with a long history, various designs can be seen depending on the age and country, but as mentioned earlier, Worldly Wise selects simple items mainly purchased in England, in line with the current jewelry trend.
tailThis one is a large size, and I think even Muro-san, who has thick fingers, can wear it. Oh, isn't this one an M (M) and R (R)? (Laughs)
NakamuroHmmm... ...... I can't read "M.R." from any angle at all, though (smiles). Maybe it's because I'm getting sidetracked a little bit, but time flies when I'm trying on real things like this and getting explanations!
multiple dwellingEach piece is different, with materials ranging from 9K to 18K for gold, and even the year of manufacture, manufacturing studio, and composition are engraved on the back, so no matter how much time you have to be particular about your choice, it will never be enough.
NakamuroEven just here, there is a diverse array of designs, isn't there?
multiple dwellingPopular places are onyx and bloodstone in stone. Many people are looking for colors such as navy, black, and green, which are easier to match than colorful ones. Also, designs with initials are popular.
tailWhenever I go abroad, I always look for rings, but most of them come in large sizes... So, when I find one in my size, I buy it immediately! So, if the size fits, I buy it immediately because it is my destiny! But Worldly Wise has a good selection of sizes, so it's dangerous.
NakamuroThere's a lot of fateful encounters rumbling around. If it's the right size, buy it all!
multiple dwellingOf course, Nakamuro-kun is also available for resizing.
NakamuroYou are indeed very squeaky clean (laughs).
The attitude of "introducing something that has never existed before to Japan".
Is this knife the same kind of thing as the signet ring?
multiple dwellingYes, they are engraved with initials and crests as well. The ones with blades were used for cutting fruit, etc., while the ones without blades were probably paper knives.
NakamuroThe details such as carvings and decorations are very delicate.
tailI have a few vintage knives, but I have no use for them, so they have become objects in my room.
I sense a similar taste in the ring that Mr. Ozaki is wearing today.
tailTom Wood" is a modernized version of signet rings.
multiple dwellingThat's right. GABRIELA ARTIGAS, the brand we have prepared this time, is also partly based on the signet ring motif.
NakamuroThis is cool!
multiple dwellingWe have been making women's jewelry for a long time and "Worldly Wise" has specially ordered men's jewelry prior to the start of the 2019 Spring/Summer season. We have picked up rings and bangles, and they are all handmade.
tailThat may be why there are some distortions, but you can feel the taste of handmade products. The comfort is as soft as the looks, which is probably due to the fact that this is a brand made by a woman.
NakamuroIt looks simple and easy to use. I'm interested in this one, too.
What did you two think of your visit to Worldly Wise?
NakamuroAs BAYCREW'S alumni, our motto is "to introduce products that have never existed before to Japan," so today's interview gave us a very convincing answer to the question of why Mr. Shigezumi started this store. I hope that more people will visit the store and experience the selection of jewelry, as I think it will be a chance to break down their rigid preconceptions about jewelry.
tailAccessories are a way of asserting one's own identity, aren't they? From one-of-a-kind vintage pieces to artist's creations, you can find things that are unique to you, things that only you can find here. I enjoy and am happy to have such a store. I think jewelry gives you a deeper sense of yourself, so why don't you give it a try if you haven't already?
NakamuroThat's right. ...... buy it!
all of us(Laughter)
FIRST NATIONS JEWERLY & ART FAIR
Period: October 20 (Sat.) - 31 (Wed.)
Description: In ancient times, when the land was covered with glaciers, the Canadian Indians moved south from Alaska to the northwest coast of the Pacific Ocean (NORTH WEST COAST) in search of a new land, and created their own art and culture. This event will bring together the works of contemporary artists who have inherited their outstanding skills.
WORLDLY-WISE
Address: 5-12-4 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Phone: 03-5778-9113
INSTAGRAM:@worldlywise_jp
