Eijiro Nakatani and Masayoshi Tobita set up fashion jewellery brand e.m. in 1996. 'At 24, we wanted to do something on our own and believed we could do something different,' says Tobita, who was working in computer programming, while Nakatani was employed in the jewellery-making industry.
The pair were school friends in Osaka and moved to Tokyo about the same time.
Since they set up e.m., the duo have collaborated with some of the most avant-garde names in fashion, including Viktor & Rolf and Comme des Garcons. Their jewellery can be found in stores from Le Bon Marche and Colette in Paris to Lane Crawford in Hong Kong and their seven boutiques in Tokyo.
What sets e.m. apart is the designers' experimental approach, while maintaining the signature look of their creations by using favoured materials such as silver, cubic zirconium (commonly referred to as simulated diamonds) and pearls. 'The brand concept is to make everyone happy and to make something unusual,' says Tobita.
One of their signature pieces - a thick silver band dangling a large cubic zirconium and a pearl - has remained their best-selling item since the design was launched 10 years ago.
'We don't follow trends,' says Nakatani. 'We always make what we want to make - something that looks different. But the basic idea is always the same, and that's to make everyone happy.'
Other creations include silver rings with large rocks and a three-ring set - symbolising different milestones of a woman's life - with an engagement ring, a wedding band embedded with tiny pearls, and a more elaborate ring to signify life after marriage. Their more recent creations include a seven-ring set in which each stone comes with a different cut and can be worn in a multitude of ways, depending on one's mood.
