Collection: Naoto Konno

Naoto Konno | 今野直人 (BBK)

Ukiha, Fukuoka, Japan

Naoto Konno spent three years in London training in jewelry making before returning to Japan, where he worked on creating products for a major domestic jewelry maker. After getting married, he moved with his family to Ukiha City, a rural area in Kyushu.

He set up a shop and workshop in a renovated agricultural shed, where he handcrafts original jewelry every day. Sometimes, he melts down heirloom jewelry brought in by customers, such as those passed down from grandmothers or mothers, and redesigns them into new pieces. He also collaborates with clients to design new pieces from scratch.

Additionally, he molds and pours melted metal to create small intricate shapes, resembling sculptures and traditional Japanese metalwork like netsuke.

The name of his shop BarBer Konno originates from his mother, who used to run a barbershop that Naoto admired as a child. With his skill in shaping metal, and his open-mindedness for trying out new line of creation, the possibilities for collaboration are endless.