Mei Kawajiri is arguably NYC’s most sought after manicurist. Her work can be seen on various fashion week runways, as well as on the hands of celebrities and models like Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid, Ariana Grande.
Originally from Kyoto, Japan, Kawajiri has been doing nails for more than 15 years. After starting out as an aspiring tattoo artist, she opted for nail art after realizing permanent tattoos was too much of a commitment.
According to Kawajiri, the biggest difference between Japanese and American nail art is that Japanese designs are “more abstract,” whereas her American clients “love to have a theme.” “Even 10 years ago, [Japan was] doing what we are doing in New York: big stones, crazy charms,” she explained in an interview with WWD. “Young girls save money for their nails instead of eating a lot of food. They wanna be skinny and they wanna have cool nail art.”
Her nail art is mostly extravagant and over the top, adding a playful edge to even the sternest of looks. “I love drama,” she admitted. And when it comes to her inspiration, she finds it in her day to day life. “As long as I don’t copy or I don’t watch other people’s Instagram, I’m good,” she said. “I don’t watch nail Instagrams at all. If you see [something] one time, you have the idea already on the inside of your head. I don’t wanna be like that. I wanna be always original and new.”
Her original nail art comes at a hefty price. Charging around $200 for a manicure, Kawajiri has become so in-demand that she only takes new clients if they come with a referral. But you can still enjoy her looks from afar, by following her on Instagram.
