MIKIMOTO BEVERLY HILLS UNVEILS FIVE MINIATURE JEWELRY DISPLAYS INSPIRED BY FILMS NOMINATED FOR BEST ART DIRECTION

In Store Viewing of Jewelry Displays February 13^th - February 21^st, 2007

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., February 6, 2007 –– Mikimoto, the Originator of Cultured Pearls since 1893, announced that the Mikimoto Beverly Hills store will unveil five miniature jewelry displays featuring exquisite Mikimoto jewelry, which were inspired by the following films nominated for best art direction at the Oscars®: Dreamgirls, The Good Shepherd, Pan’s Labyrinth, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest and The Prestige.  This in-store display is made possible by Architectural Digest and its long-standing relationship with the art director’s community. 

The one-of-a-kind displays are designed and created by Joe Celli, an established Art Director with Oscar experience, and will be available for viewing from February 13 - February 21, at Mikimoto Beverly Hills, located in The Beverly Wilshire, a Four Seasons Hotel.  The exclusive viewing takes place before Architectural Digest, in association with the Art Directors Guild, showcases Celli’s creations at its annual reception honoring Production Designers, Set Decorators, and Art Directors nominated for Achievement in Art Direction for the 79^th Annual Academy Awards® on February 22 at The Century Design Gallery (2049 Century Park East, Los Angeles).  Mikimoto is a proud sponsor of this intimate event.

“Mikimoto is thrilled to work with Architectural Digest to showcase our fine jewelry in this manner,” stated Maureen Gribbin, Director of Advertising and Public Relations for Mikimoto.  “There are many other jewelry companies involved with the Oscars, but we saw this as a unique opportunity to display our products,” she continued.

The unique Mikimoto jewelry Mr. Celli incorporated into these displays recreate and capture the essence, mood, and scenery of these five nominated films:

·       The Dreamgirls display pays tribute to the great variety acts of the 1960s and 70s.  The “Dreams,” represented here by a spectacular blue sapphire and White South Sea cultured pearl pendant from Mikimoto’s Elements of Life:  Ocean Collection, are backed by an orchestra and surrounded by diaphanous blue drapery with crystal highlights.

·       The Good Shepherd reminds viewers to take a closer look, as things are not always as they appear.  This display reinterprets the scene where Edward Wilson (played by Matt Damon) discovers that the man he thought was Valentin Mironov is actually a spy.  A stunning White South Sea cultured pearl necklace, stunningly understated, is the ultimate luxury in pearls. 

·       Step inside the crumbling and overgrown walls of Pan’s Labyrinth where, as Ophelia reveals in the film, an elusive blue rose sits atop a mountain of poisonous thorns.  A one-of-a-kind frog brooch with a baroque South Sea cultured pearl and diamonds is the centerpiece of this display. 

·       The Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest display offers a glimpse into Jack Sparrow’s notorious ship, “The Black Pearl”.  True to its name, the mast protrudes boldly from the deck and long strands of black South Sea cultured pearls stand in for the ship’s rigging.

·       Inspired by the magic and mystery of The Prestige, this vignette centers on a mysterious box holding Tesla’s destructive contraption.  A series of water tanks like those in the film’s final illusion holds Akoya cultured pearl and diamond necklaces from Mikimoto’s Vintage Collection. 

About Mikimoto (America) Co., Ltd.

Mikimoto (America) Co., Ltd. is the American subsidiary of K. Mikimoto & Co., Ltd., the world-renowned Japanese company.  In 1893, company founder Kokichi Mikimoto was the first person to develop a technique for the cultivation of pearls and the business remains the world leader in high-quality cultured pearls. 

About Architectural Digest

Architectural Digest is the world’s definitive design magazine, reaching an audience of 5 million readers each month.  The magazine features the work of world-class authors and photographers and regularly presents a “first look” at the homes of leaders in the fields of entertainment, fashion, business, society and the arts. 

About Joe Celli

Joe Celli has been working as a freelance art director and set decorator for the past 10 years.  In that time, he has worked on a variety of projects that range from VH1’s “The Surreal Life,” to The Academy Awards.  Celli has also worked on a multiple television specials, featuring such legendary stars as Mary Tyler Moore, Dick Van Dyke, Andy Griffith and Ron Howard.