We asked Thakoon Panichgul, creative director of TASAKI, eight jewelry-related questions during his visit to Japan for the brand's 60th anniversary event held in Tokyo last May. An event showcasing his latest collection will be held at Isetan Shinjuku starting August 6th. 1. When did you learn jewelry design? After graduating from university, Thakoon began his career as a magazine editor. He later studied design at Parsons School of Design in New York and launched his own brand based in New York. Thakoon (hereafter T): I didn't specifically study jewelry. I think that lack of training was actually the key to my success (at TASAKI). I was able to design with a free mind. Having too much knowledge can easily lead to being trapped by it, so in my case, it may have turned out to be a good thing. When I first started, I thought about design first, which caused technical problems. Recently, I've started to consider both design and technical aspects simultaneously.
2. What was your impression when you first encountered pearls?
TASAKI started as a cultured pearl processing and sales business in Kobe 60 years ago. We currently have our own pearl farms in Kujukushima, Nagasaki, and Myanmar, and carry out all processes in-house, from cultivating, sorting, processing, and sales.
T: My first impression of pearls was purity. When I started working with TASAKI, I heard that it was a traditional pearl brand, so I felt my job was to revive it with a youthful vibe.
Until then, pearls were strongly associated with ceremonial occasions, but they have become a jewelry that people want to wear every day, and they are gaining acclaim from young women and the press. I was very happy when someone at TASAKI who I work with said, "You've changed the image of pearls!"
3. What is the relationship between fashion and jewelry?
Takoon has presented his own brand at the New York Collection, where TASAKI jewelry is featured. T: I basically work with the same mindset when it comes to fashion and jewelry. The difference is in the interpretation of materials. In fashion, when I see the way fabric drapes over the body, I imagine the attitude of the woman wearing it. With jewelry, the shape is completed by accurately imagining the materials and techniques.
4. What kind of woman do you want to wear it?
Takoon became creative director in 2009, and in an effort to bring a breath of fresh air to TASAKI, he has introduced bold yet delicate jewelry designs for modern women living in today's world.
T: I believe that how jewelry is worn and interpreted is up to the individual. I would like someone to wear extravagant jewelry at a gala party, or to combine pearls with jeans and a T-shirt. I would rather have it worn by a free-spirited woman who is not bound by things. Rather than treating jewelry with care, I think it is beautiful when a woman wears it as if it were a uniform in her daily life. This is the very idea of luxury.
5. How was "Balance" created?
Inspired by balance balls, "Balance" is a design featuring pearls arranged in a straight line, and is a hit item that can be considered an icon of TASAKI. It comes in rings and pendants that combine various pearls and diamonds, and is popular around the world.
T: When I first faced pearls, I asked myself what kind of pearls I would like to wear. As I thought about it, I came up with the image of pearls floating on my finger. It was simple, modern, and yet made a strong impact. I think it is precisely because the "Balance" design is simple that it is able to emphasize the role of pearls.
I basically try to create things that I think are good, and of these, "Balance" is my favorite.
6. What about "Refined Rebellion," part of the Icon series? The "Refined Rebellion" series, which combines sliced Akoya pearls with diamonds featuring TASAKI's signature cut, which is inverted and accentuated by a mountain shape, was born from Takoon's punkish spirit of fusing two opposing sensibilities. T: I believe that turning our everyday perspectives upside down influences creativity. When I began designing "Refined Rebellion" and the "Danger" series, featuring pearls adorned with gold spikes, I wanted to create pieces that subvert the concept of "luxury." Changing the image of luxury generates new energy and gives rise to new values. 7. Will "Abstract World" Birth a New Icon? TASAKI, celebrating its 60th anniversary, will release a new collection in August under the theme of "Abstract World." This latest series offers abstract expressions of the fascinating beauty found in nature, such as stars shining in space, a world of ice, and creatures living in the deep sea. T: My latest piece is inspired by the mysteries of space and other motifs. I believe that design should be as simple as possible. Even if you don't overthink it, it will come to you at the right time. A frozen world of ice, a jellyfish floating in the ocean, a sudden shooting star. I really like the "Abstract Star" necklace, which breaks down the star motif and combines it in new ways. I used a lot of diamonds this time because they were easy to express the image. 8. How do women around the world perceive your jewelry? We established a branch in Paris in 2014, and the world's oldest department store, Bon Marché, began carrying Takoon collections such as the "Balance" series, expanding our business worldwide. T: We began full-scale expansion in Paris this year. French women love jewelry, and they responded well to pearl jewelry, and the striking "A Secret" series became popular. "Danger" is popular among New York women, who prefer edgy, sexy pieces. Tokyo women seem to prefer cute, fancy pieces. However, the "Balance" series is popular with women in every city. It seems Chinese women also love it. From August 6th to 12th, the TASAKI event "TASAKI 60TH PEARL & DIAMOND JUBILEE Abstract World" will be held at The Stage on the first floor of the Isetan Shinjuku Main Building. Pre-sale items will include the latest works by Melanie Georgacopoulos, who presents bold designs featuring sliced pearls, and Marie-Hélène de Taillac, who skillfully combines colored stones and diamonds with pearls. "Comet," a pendant by Thakoon (450,000 yen), boldly depicts a comet in yellow gold with South Sea pearls, yellow gold, and diamonds. This pendant is one of the items available for pre-sale at Isetan Shinjuku.
