Garish or Gorgeous, adorable or deplorable?
Readers, we want to know what you think of nail art!
E-mail your opinions to thesource@okinawa.usmc-mccs.org
Women on Okinawa are hooked on Japanese nail art. “I would have never had my nails like this before I moved to Japan," confesses one American, who asked to remain anonymous. “Now I get them done every two weeksl” Our addict is not alone in her obsession; at this year’s International Nail Expo, 39,000 fans flocked to Tokyo to see the latest trends and watch the best artists compete. But how has Japan’s nail art industry managed to inspire such a following?
The answer rests in the skillful hands of the nation’s world-renowned nail artists (“nailists”). Witness a nailist deftly creating miniature masterpieces with a minuscule brush, and you’ll soon realize that this art differs drastically from the airbrushed variety seen in the States. The Japan Nailist Association (JNA) is greatly responsible for elevating what could have been just a passing trend into an artform, by requiring the most extensive training in the world. Study of the discipline is so respected, it is even offered alongside classes in architecture and web design at some Japanese schools. The result is 30,000 licensed manicurists operating at 8,000 salons nationwide, and an industry worth 100 billion yen (about $900 million) a year.
There’s evidence that Japanese nail art is finally taking off across the pond. Celebrity trend-setters like Fergie and Gwen Stefani have been spotted with fashion-forward nail designs. But are most American women ready for exotic “nail chips” encrusted with gems? Top nailist Megiimi Furukawa thinks so, because ultimately Japanese nail art celebrates feminity. “The greatest appeal of nail art lies in its way of allowing women to be feminine. Even a light manicure makes women conscious of their feminine demeanor."
The answer rests in the skillful hands of the nation’s world-renowned nail artists (“nailists”). Witness a nailist deftly creating miniature masterpieces with a minuscule brush, and you’ll soon realize that this art differs drastically from the airbrushed variety seen in the States. The Japan Nailist Association (JNA) is greatly responsible for elevating what could have been just a passing trend into an artform, by requiring the most extensive training in the world. Study of the discipline is so respected, it is even offered alongside classes in architecture and web design at some Japanese schools. The result is 30,000 licensed manicurists operating at 8,000 salons nationwide, and an industry worth 100 billion yen (about $900 million) a year.
There’s evidence that Japanese nail art is finally taking off across the pond. Celebrity trend-setters like Fergie and Gwen Stefani have been spotted with fashion-forward nail designs. But are most American women ready for exotic “nail chips” encrusted with gems? Top nailist Megiimi Furukawa thinks so, because ultimately Japanese nail art celebrates feminity. “The greatest appeal of nail art lies in its way of allowing women to be feminine. Even a light manicure makes women conscious of their feminine demeanor."
-Carrie Carmichael
No comments:
Post a Comment