ileava jewelry
Designer： Maya Nishimura
Handmade in central Tokyo, Harajuku Omote-sando, ileava jewelry is a Japan based brand by Maya Nishimura.
From the world where a teddy bear and his friends await to hug your finger, various elements are picked out to become ileava's jewelry.
"Hug Bear" ring was the very first piece of silver jewelry Maya had made for her younger sister when she first started making jewelry. Billy was the teddy bear's name her sister had when she was young. She took him everywhere she went but as she grew older, Billy was left behind in her room. "Growing up is the process of life, but memories are forever." Maya had thought. For her sister to remember her childhood memories, Maya made a teddy bear ring she can wear wherever she went that was age appropriate for her to wear as an adult. Hug Bear eventually became ileava jewelry's signature ring.
Born in Tokyo, raised in California and Japan, Maya has a multi-cultural background since the age of 5.
After receiving BFA in furniture design and architecture from Otis College of Art and Design, Maya came across the lost wax technique in jewelry making. In 2003, Maya launched "ileava jewlery" a word describing the highest quality of something that is pure.
In 2007, Maya relocated to Tokyo to open up her studio and store, located in the central Tokyo.
Inspired from everyday surroundings, dreams or the childhood memories, Maya creates miniature sculptures everyone can relate to.
"Jewelry is meant to be worn at all times. I wanted to make special pieces for everyone. It doesn't necessarily have to mean anything to anyone else, as long as it has a special meaning to the wearers.
When you're pooped out...you look down at your hand and you see a teddy bear hugging your finger...
He's poking his head out between your fingers and he's cheering you up..."
