A trailblazer in art, jewellery and fashion
The visionary art dealer and founder of Japan’s pioneering bridal jeweller is creating a new chapter at Tanjong Pagar Distripark
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AT 82, YUKIO SHIRAISHI CUTS a dignified figure. The man may be soft-spoken, but his voice carries steely determination and clear passion.
It’s easy to see how the founder and chairman of Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed New Art Holdings has brought various undertakings to life. His businesses in fields as diverse as art, jewellery, aesthetics, food processing and golf equipment manufacturing reflect not just Shiraishi’s spirit of entrepreneurship, but also his vision and ambition.
One thing’s for sure – the man has a keen eye for things of beauty.
The prominent Japanese art dealer founded Whitestone Gallery in Tokyo in 1967. The gallery is a pioneer of the nation’s post-war art – specifically the radical Gutai avant-garde art collective. Today, it also represents top international names and is committed to presenting the works of emerging Asian artists globally.
Outside of Japan, there are also Whitestone galleries in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea. Its outpost in Singapore – its first in South-east Asia and one of the largest in Asia – officially opened in October 2023 at Tanjong Pagar Distripark on Keppel Road.
The impressive space designed by world-renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma comprises three main components: a 7,675 square foot (sq ft) commercial gallery dedicated to showing living artists; a 10,812 sq ft integrated New Art Museum showcasing prominent artists and art movements; and a 2,324 sq ft reception area.
If Whitestone Gallery embodies Shiraishi’s love for art, then Ginza Diamond Shiraishi – the bridal jewellery brand he launched in 1994 – reflects his business savvy. While the idea was sparked off when his daughter pointed out that he should diversify into other businesses, it was his keen entrepreneurial instincts that grew it to what it is today.
A smart move
Having observed how leading Japanese car manufacturer Toyota would be stuck with “dead stock” when its export sales were not doing well, Shiraishi had an idea.
“We would only start production for a diamond ring after taking the order,” he says, adding that his bridal jewellery business in Japan is still done via appointments.
Thus he pioneered the semi-custom wedding ring concept in the country: couples select loose, internationally and domestically certified, premium-quality stones and have them made into rings according to chosen settings. Each piece takes about a month to craft from the time the order is placed.
It was a masterstroke. With its salon-style concept, Ginza Diamond Shiraishi became Japan’s first bridal jewellery speciality boutique, where couples could be guided on stone selection in an upscale, intimate setting.
“It’s very personalised,” he says. “Weekend appointments are usually fully booked, with couples taking about two hours each.”
Ginza Diamond Shiraishi also introduced the “set ring” concept to Japan – a design where an engagement ring and wedding band fit perfectly together. Not only does this symbolise the union of two lives, the seamless stacking also creates a new aesthetic offering greater versatility for wearers.
A captivating identity
When Shiraishi started his jewellery business, diamond company De Beers was still monopolising the diamond industry. “I wanted to run advertisements in cinemas before movie screenings because I thought De Beers was focusing on TV commercials. But even those spaces were already taken by them,” Shiraishi recalls.
So he looked elsewhere and became a top advertiser and collaborator with Zexy – Japan’s most popular and influential tome of a bridal magazine, where the number of pages can exceed a thousand.
At the same time, his commercial astuteness told him he shouldn’t just focus on diamond images in his advertisements. With ancient Greek culture inspiring Japanese public architecture and beyond, he chose to go with stunning visuals of Greek cities and the Aegean Sea to represent the brand’s philosophy of immutability and pure, timeless beauty.
His strategic decision-making led to Ginza Diamond Shiraishi cementing its position as Japan’s leading bridal jewellery specialist.
Covetable diamonds have arrived
Today, the brand has more than 70 stores in Japan, as well as multiple outlets in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
In March, Ginza Diamond Shiraishi finally arrived in Singapore, quietly opening a counter at Takashimaya Department Store. This marks the brand’s first South-east Asian presence as it continues its international expansion.
Come August, however, more fanfare can be expected as it launches its first flagship standalone boutique here at Suntec City. Alongside Ginza Diamond Shiraishi, the store will also debut New Art’s other jewellery brand – Exelco Diamond.
Exelco has a distinguished heritage, tracing its roots to Antwerp, Belgium. It is renowned for its mathematical standard for the round brilliant diamond cut, developed in 1919 to maximise a diamond’s fire and brilliance. Its clientele has included members of the Belgian royal family.
Today, the brand, with its distinctly European sensibility, focuses on fashion-forward designs, while Ginza Diamond Shiraishi specialises in bespoke bridal jewellery.
“I want to further develop Exelco,” says Shiraishi. “Especially in Singapore, we will focus on design innovation and the creation of new diamond cuts.”
These cuts will come from a design competition in November held in conjunction with the Belgian Embassy in Japan.
Marrying art, jewellery and fashion
Ever the visionary, Shiraishi is still brimming with ideas and enthusiasm for his various ventures.
He reveals he had offered to take over around 3,000 square metres of space at Gillman Barracks and turn the area into a gallery with a museum, cafe and library. But when told the arts and lifestyle enclave was earmarked for housing, he looked to Tanjong Pagar Distripark instead.
With the newly opened Cantonment MRT station “just 300 metres” and a “10-minute walk” away, he has confidence in the industrial-turned-arts hub.
And just as Whitestone Gallery has cultivated many Asian artists, he is now turning his attention to using its space to nurture another form of beauty – fashion.
“This is the best place to grow art and fashion,” he says. “Following the example of New York’s SoHo and Chelsea, Tanjong Pagar Distripark has expanded beyond art and is beginning to emerge as a platform for fashion as well.”
Given his track record, these are very exciting pronouncements indeed.
Photography: Darren Gabriel Leow Fashion direction: CK Grooming: Sveta Klyn, The Suburbs Studio. Using Dior Beauty
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