IVXLCDM, a jewelry brand from Kofu, Yamanashi Prefecture, is attracting keen attention not only from Japan and Asia, but also from fashion-forward countries such as Europe. Starting with the production of accessories for popular domestic fashion brands, the brand, now in its 13th year since its founding, has become a rare entity that constantly receives collaboration offers.

The brand will be holding a pop-up shop at Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building , 6th floor, Men's Contemporary, from Wednesday, February 5th to Friday, February 21st. Ahead of this second pop-up shop at Isetan, we conducted an interview with Tetsuya Ueshima, the designer of the brand who has been a leading figure in the jewelry industry.

Until now, he has had little media exposure and has not spoken much, but we asked him to talk about everything from the history of jewelry in Yamanashi to the circumstances surrounding the launch of his brand and his commitment to craftsmanship.

Aiming to be a high jeweler whose legacy will be passed down through generations.

—First of all, I understand that your production base is in Yamanashi. Could you tell us about the advantages of manufacturing in Yamanashi?

It's not widely known outside the industry, but Yamanashi has a rich history of jewelry making, so much so that you could say "Yamanashi jewelry" is just as famous as "Okayama denim" or "Sabae eyeglasses." Raw crystals have been unearthed from Jomon period ruins dating back 5,000 to 3,000 years, and the polishing and processing techniques for precious stones have developed since the Edo period. Even today, Yamanashi boasts the highest production volume in Japan. I myself am from Yamanashi, and I grew up surrounded by jewelry shops and companies, so I've always felt a close connection to precious stones and their processed products.

—Could you tell us what inspired you to launch your own brand?

Since I've always loved clothes, I vaguely thought I wanted to work in the fashion industry in the future, so after graduating from high school, I enrolled in the jewelry design department of a local art vocational school. After graduation, I got a job at a local precious metals shop, where I was in charge of exhibiting and selling jewelry at events in department stores and kimono shops. One day, a friend who ran a select shop in Yamanashi was starting a brand in Tokyo and asked me if I could make some accessories for him. Since I had a full-time job, I started helping him out as a side job, and that's how it all began.

It grew incredibly quickly, almost before I knew it. While I felt joy in contributing to the brand's success, I also began to feel a desire to try my hand at designing with my own ideas. And so, in 2007, I launched IVXLCDM. Incidentally, the brand name is an acronym for the first letters of the Roman numerals 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 500, and 1000. This embodies my wish that the brand will be passed down through generations.

—You also exhibited your work during Paris Fashion Week in 2009.

Even now, and back then too, IVXLCDM was developing original items while also undertaking the production of accessories for other brands. It was what you might call OEM. Many of the brands we were connected with were exhibiting at Paris Fashion Week, so we decided to give it a try, thinking we had nothing to lose. It might have been a naive idea, but in the future, I wanted to let the world know about the charm of Yamanashi jewelry, so I thought it would be a good step.



—And then you suddenly landed a contract with a global select shop, right?

To be honest, I returned home without feeling much of a sense of accomplishment, but a few days later, a fax order arrived from overseas. It had the name of the famous Parisian shop, COLETTE, on it, and I thought, "Is this really Colette?" I couldn't believe it was a prank, and I remember checking with the staff over and over again. In the end, it wasn't a mistake, and the business relationship started successfully.

We have big collaborators lined up for the first and second weeks of the pop-up.

--This time the pop-up is being held over two weeks, and I understand that there will be a featured item in each of the two weeks. First of all, what will be the featured item in the first week?

This is a collaborative jewelry collection with world-renowned graphic artist André Sareva. Featuring his iconic character "Mr. A," the collection includes 13 variations across 4 styles, including pendants and bracelets made from 18K gold and 925 sterling silver. Each piece is individually numbered, making this a limited-edition collection.

• 
  Andre Sareva x IVXLCDM
  Pendant: K18 (S) ¥473,000, (S) ¥30,800, (L) ¥36,300; Lapel pin: ¥19,800; Bracelet: ¥52,800
  *Pre-release at Isetan Shinjuku Store

Actually, it's no exaggeration to say that Colette started carrying my work thanks to Andre. More than 10 years ago, I was having a meeting with the owner of a certain select shop in a hotel lounge when Andre happened to be sitting next to us. The owner suggested, "Ueshima is doing something interesting, why don't you make something for Andre?" and that's how I ended up making jewelry for Andre. And it was Sarah, the world-famous buyer at Colette, who noticed the jewelry I made for Andre and asked, "That's lovely, where did you get it?" That's the backstory behind how that fax was sent.

—That's a very typical overseas story. Next, what will be the featured item for the second week?

• 
  uniform experiment ×IVXLCDM
  Jewelry carabiner: (K18 gold x diamond) ¥2,475,000, (SV925 x diamond) ¥264,000, (K10 yellow gold x diamond) ¥1,650,000

This is our second collaboration item with uniform experiment . We've prepared jewelry carabiners, which were very popular last time. In addition to the K18 gold x diamond model and the 925 silver x diamond model, this time we're offering a K10 yellow gold x diamond model, for a total of three variations. uniform experiment and IVXLCDM logos are engraved on the opening and closing parts, respectively, as an accent.

—Choosing a carabiner as jewelry is very interesting.

Based on my own experience, when I recently bought a new car, all my keys didn't fit in my key case, and it was very inconvenient. I also tried using a stainless steel carabiner, but then I was bothered by the cheap feel of the material. Since it was a car I splurged on at the time, I felt I needed a key holder that combined luxury to match the presence of the keys with functionality, so I initially made a jewelry carabiner for myself. Later, when I first commercialized it at IVXLCDM, Hirofumi Kiyosuke of uniform experiment was one of the first to show interest after seeing the sample. As a result, it resonated with many people who had the same problem as me, and it has now become a staple item representing the brand.

—How is the quality of the items maintained?

Basically, we only entrust our work to specific craftsmen with some of the best skills in Yamanashi Prefecture. We have assembled a team of top-level craftsmen for each processing stage, including stonemasons, carvers, polishers, and setters. You could say that exceptional skill and passion are poured into each and every item. We would never prioritize production efficiency by entrusting all processing to a manufacturer that can do it all, or by entrusting it to craftsmen other than those we always work with.

—Finally, what kind of pop-up would you like it to be?

First and foremost, we hope you'll come and see and touch IVXLCDM products in person, and experience the beauty of the materials such as gold and diamonds, the exquisite craftsmanship, and the sense of presence and exhilaration you feel when you hold them in your hands. We would also be delighted if you could feel the passion of the creators and the production background behind these products.


Right now, when people are asked "What comes to mind when you think of Yamanashi?", most answer "wine" or "fruit." Our brand recognition may be low at this stage, but we believe that by sticking to our beliefs and continuing to refine them, we can shine just as brightly as other local specialties and industries. We hope this pop-up shop will serve as a stepping stone so that in the future, people will immediately think of "jewelry" when they think of Yamanashi.