Last Updated on August 13, 2024
You’ve probably seen plenty of nail art online, especially on social media. But we doubt you’ve seen nail art as elaborate and varied as the work of the accomplished nail artist Yoshiko Yamaguchi, who also happens to be today’s guest.
Currently, Yamaguchi is a leading nail artist and manicurist working with Vanity Projects, a luxury nail salon with locations in New York and Miami that combines nail art with video art. The company’s reputation for impressive avant-garde work continues to attract an elite clientele. Vanity Projects works with many world-famous brands, such as Chanel, Dior, Nike, HBO, Coachella, and Amazon Beauty.
Yamaguchi herself has been called on to create designs for magazines and advertising, including work for Vogue, Zara, Coach, Kate Spade, and Hermes.
But to our surprise, Yamaguchi actually started out on a very different career path. Through years of work experience, she realized that she wanted her passion for art and design to lead her career.
Throughout the article, we’ll be taking a look at the origins of her career, as well as some of her many career highlights and what she’s been working on lately. If nail art is your thing or you just like learning about experts working in different fields, then we invite you to come along for the ride.
Changing career paths to create art
At first, Yamaguchi followed a rather traditional career path, taking office jobs as they came along. But this wasn’t the life she really wanted.
I majored in Business Management at university and worked in some office jobs in Japan before becoming a nail artist. I liked nails and had them done, but there were no nail artists who could do the kind of artwork I was looking for. So, I decided that I wanted to do my own favorite artwork, so I went to nail school while working in Japan and was able to obtain a JNA certification, which is one of the most difficult nail licenses in the world.”
After earning this certification, Yamaguchi took the leap. She quit her job and officially began her career as a nail artist. This was twelve years ago, back in 2011, and the results of this decision speak for themselves.
Yamaguchi is now a highly sought-after nail artist, and outside of her commissioned work, she creates stunning designs that challenge the norms of nail art, and her showcase in Vogue Japan is an excellent example of her ability to integrate other art forms into her work.
Manga nails for Vogue Japan
When we asked Yamaguchi to name her favorite magazine photoshoot project, she mentioned the manga nail art showcase she did for Vogue Japan.
Manga, of course, represents a major Japanese cultural touchstone, and for this project, Yamaguchi went all out, creating a number of looks that pay homage to well-loved manga.
As Yamaguchi explained to us, these designs were meant to be purely aesthetic. They weren’t meant to be worn in the ‘real world.’
“Normally, I take many things into consideration when doing nails, such as making sure that clients’ nails won’t get in the way of their daily lives. But for the manga art I did for Vogue magazine, I didn’t worry about such things and was able to concentrate on the art.
This freedom allowed Yamaguchi to take this project to the next level, and the finished work is stunning, utilizing drastically different color palettes, precise line work, and creative textures as well.
But this is only one project among many, and if you’re interested in seeing more of Yamaguchi’s adventurous designs, we highly recommend checking out her online portfolio.
Working with celebrities
Through working with Vanity Projects and also through the strength of her own skills, Yamaguchi has had the opportunity to do nail art for a number of celebrities, and we couldn’t help but ask what it’s been like to share her expertise with these notable figures.
First, Yamaguchi talked about working on Miranda Kerr’s nails when Kerr was visiting Japan. Kerr is an internationally famous model and businesswoman originally from Australia. The two of them apparently hit it off.
“She was lovely. She taught me meditation, and thanks to her, I got into the habit of taking better care of my mental and physical health.”
Yamaguchi has also had the chance to work on Whoopi Goldberg‘s nails during her time in New York, and Yamaguchi had nothing but good things to say about working with her.
“She’s friendly and very helpful, and she’s very popular with the nail salon staff. When I was still a newcomer to the U.S., she gave me advice on how to spend my time in Times Square during the New Year’s Eve countdown.
This isn’t to say that celebrity clients are somehow more important, but it’s definitely the mark of a true professional when someone can provide high-profile clients with impeccable service and make them feel completely comfortable.
A holistic design
As we neared the end of our time with Yamaguchi, we turned to a discussion of nail art, as well as, art. More specifically, we wanted to talk about nail art as an art form of its very own, one that offers endless opportunities for creativity, variety, and expression.
Along these lines, Yamaguchi is easily one of the most forward-looking nail artists working today, and we wanted to understand how she was able to achieve this. We wanted to know how she’s become the successful artist that she is and understand the ways in which she’s currently pushing the boundaries of this art form.
In Yamaguchi’s view, one of her key attributes is her ability to keep sight of the big picture, so to speak, paying close and careful attention to how a design will look and feel as a whole.
“I don’t look at just each individual nail, but rather I look broadly at the overall atmosphere, image, and the ultimate purpose of the design. I believe this is one of the most important ways that I can push the boundaries of nail art.”
Pushing boundaries is exactly what Yamaguchi has been able to do with her career so far, and she doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. She has many more designs just waiting to be realized, and she’s always taking inspiration from the world around her.
Inspiration and looking to the future
Whenever we speak with an artist, we like to ask about their personal inspirations, and through the years we’ve received a huge range of responses.
Some seem to find their most useful inspiration in the natural world or in contemporary work from other artists working in a variety of different categories and specializations. Others conduct research into art history and try to learn lessons from the movements of the past.
As for Yamaguchi, she told us that inspiration can come from absolutely anywhere.
“I am inspired by everything I see. I’m especially fond of fashion and ceramics. I visit art galleries and museums around the world and check out ateliers and collections when I have time. It can be so exciting to explore all this work and try to think of ways that you can apply certain ideas to your own work.”
As for Yamaguchi’s plans for the upcoming year, as well as the next few years, she plans to continue expanding her portfolio and looking for new and better ways of executing ideas.
She also mentioned her plan to continue her hobby of flying, and that she’s looking to obtain her pilot’s license so that she can eventually fly to VIP clients all across the United States.
In the meantime, she’ll do anything to keep from standing still, giving clients the looks they want and boosting their confidence to go out into the world and do great things.
Doing great things is Yamaguchi’s business, after all, and we’re very much looking forward to seeing what comes next from this extremely creative artist.
