Jewellery For The Face by Akiko Shinzato.

Clown Mask hand dyed vegetable tanned leather and Swarovski crystals.
Collaboration with Swarovski x Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty.
Photo: Barney McCann. Models: Alice Hurel and Anna Tatton.

First we gave you wearable interior. Then there was wearable art. Now we give you jewellery for the face. Seriously, what other practical things are we going to share with you next? Perhaps a pet that transforms into a toupee? Jokes. But not really. Alas, I digress.

Akiko Shinzato is a Japan-born London-based jewellery designer and a Central Saint Martins graduate, who understands the importance of first impressions. She also likes to toy with our prescriptions, by examining how simply and easily one can change their appearances with a piece of leather or crystal-encrusted accessory, just like wearing extreme make-up to take on a different identity. In other words, she’s a bit of a dude.

As a student of Central Stain Martins and coinciding with the Savage Beauty exhibition at the V&A Museum, Akiko collaborated with Swarovski on one of Alexander McQueen inspired pieces. Her “Wearing Makeup” clown-like mask, made from hand dyed vegetable tanned leather encrusted with crystals was awarded the Swarovski Award for 2015.

Another Skin by Akiko Shinzato.
Photo: Runa Anzai. Model: Kitty Garrett. Hair & makeup: Yoko Minami. Stylist: Kei Terayama.

In her most recent leather series titled “Putting on Someone’s Identity”, a wearer mixes their own facial features with that of others. Each piece in the collection partially hides the facial features of the wearer whilst revealing a whole other identity. Akiko goes on to explain that this collection is about people’s obsession with their appearances.

“We perform appearance managements for the sake of beauty, from dieting to exercise, makeup to cosmetic surgeries and so on. Facebook and other social networking services are used to broadcast chosen images of self and “make up” an identity. We treat our appearances according to how we want to be seen by others and put this alternative veil of identity on the faces. In other words, our appearances can be modified and manipulated as we wish.”

She goes on to explain that the management of our appearance is directly linked to our self-esteem. “In fact, physical attractiveness affects a person’s mind; the more you feel that you are attractive, the more you get confident. Historically, women used men’s outfit to project power. Therefore, in this collection I am using the aesthetic and structural idea of a pair of pince-nez as an element of Victorian attire that attaches and detaches to maintain the self-esteem of the wearer.”