The Beverly Hills soirée was held inside the hotel’s L’Ermitage Suite
Words by ELIZABETH VARNELL
Photography by STEPHANIE HELGUERA
An array of guests gathered on Monday, December 16, at L’Ermitage Beverly Hills for a look at Kimitake, the handcrafted line of fine jewelry known for celebrating connections. The party took place in the L’Hermitage Suite, the largest of the hotel’s 116 suites. The lavish 4,450-square-foot space, which includes a grand living room and marble fireplace, provided an ideal perch for baubles from the line founded by Kimio Fukutani and Takeshi Yokota. Beloved by creatives including Taylor Swift, the designs mix traditional Japanese craftsmanship with themes of connectedness through twists referencing DNA or diamonds that are custom-halved using laser cuts and set in two rings or necklaces to be worn by a couple or by two friends. As strains from a koto, a Japanese stringed instrument played with picks, filled the suite — drifting through the dining room, private screening room, personal office, and spa treatment room — guests got a look at Adeve custom diamond rings, Links bracelets, Birth earrings, Harmony crossover rings, and charms hung on Samurai Braided Chords.
The line’s cofounder Takeshi Yokota, who lives in L.A. but had to catch a plane to Japan just before the party, said the diversity here has led him to “gain a fresh, external perspective on Japan’s sense of beauty and traditional culture.” He noted that when he sees people in L.A. connect with the craftsmanship behind Kimitake’s designs, “it strengthens my sense of purpose to share Japan’s traditional techniques and beauty with the world, ensuring they are passed down to future generations.” For Yokota, concepts that are “common in Japan” can be “new and inspiring” here, leading him to rediscover what he called “the beauty and practicality” of Kumihimo, or Samurai Braided Cords, that are used to symbolize the commonalities tying people together. “I believe that the ‘true elegance’ inherent in Japanese culture harmonizes beautifully with California’s refined lifestyle,” he said.
Kimio Fukutani, who is based in Japan, also pointed out that Japanese traditional crafts are shaped by the influence of diverse cultures and people. “As individuals, we form new emotions and memories through our connections with others,” he said. This idea plays into Kimitake’s twisting designs, inspired by the shape of DNA. For Fukutani, it symbolizes “the birth of a person, while the Link design represents connections.” The jewelry, and the evening party, underscored the life-affirming role of interconnections and bonds among couples and friends while also highlighting an innovative way to wear and share them.
December 19, 2024
Discover more PARTIES news.
