New York–based fine jewelry brand Milamore was named one of the ten finalists for the 2026 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund on June 2. The Fund is American fashion’s flagship incubator program, providing financial support, mentorship, and business development resources to the next generation of US-based designers and brands.
Guided by the motto “Designed in New York, Handcrafted in Japan,” Milamore creates fine jewelry that unites Japanese craftsmanship with contemporary design. Through collections inspired by kintsugi — the traditional Japanese art of repairing ceramics with gold — the brand has championed a philosophy it calls “Mended, Not Broken.”
Less than ten days after the announcement — and just one day after his first jury presentation at Vogue’s US headquarters — founder George Inaki sat down with OSF at The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad.
In the conversation that follows, Inaki reflects on the moment he learned the news, how he prepared for the presentation, and how he intends to turn this opportunity into Milamore’s future.
Index
The News Came in a Phone Call from the CEO
―― Congratulations again on your selection as a finalist. For a brand with Japanese roots, establishing yourself in the American market is no small feat. Can you tell us about the moment you learned the news?
The Monday before the announcement, I received a phone call directly from Steven Kolb, the CEO of the CFDA, telling me that Milamore had been named a finalist. It came so out of the blue that, for a moment, I couldn’t find any words.
―― It must have come out of nowhere.
Honestly, at first it didn’t feel real. I caught myself asking, “Is this really happening?” He must have had me on speakerphone — I could hear warm laughter on the other end of the line, and that was when it finally sank in. An hour later an email arrived, and rather than “you made the finals,” it simply read “Here are details.” The next morning, my phone was blowing up — messages and tags flooding in from friends. “So it’s actually real,” I thought. Even then, it took me two or three days to process. On the day of the official announcement, I still felt as if I were dreaming.
―― And the next step came almost immediately.
I was told the presentation would take place just one week later, which was certainly a surprise. We were also asked to come with a muse, so I immediately called a friend — a former model who now runs her own company. She is incredibly busy, but fortunately our schedules aligned, and we walked into it together.
Presenting at Vogue’s Headquarters
―― You gave your first presentation just yesterday. How did it go?
I’m usually immune to nerves, but that day I was more nervous than I have ever been in my life. I had an 8 a.m. call time and meant to get up at 5, but I woke at 3 and couldn’t fall back asleep. Cycling to the World Trade Center, with tension and exhilaration running together — it became a ride I will never forget.
It was my first time inside Vogue’s offices. I remember thinking, “This is the headquarters of Vogue USA — of Vogue International.” Seeing the archive of Vogue covers on the walls, it all began to feel real. It happened to coincide with the release of the new Devil Wears Prada film, and this year marks the 250th anniversary of American independence. Everything converged. It was a singular moment.
―― The jury lineup is extraordinary.
I have loved Thom Browne for years — for some fifteen years, I had been going to see his New York Fashion Week shows. And suddenly, there he was, right in front of me. I will admit I was nervous. What’s more, this fund brings every category together: not only ready-to-wear but accessories, shoes, bridal, and fine jewelry, all judged on the same stage.
―― The following evening there was the celebratory cocktail event with Nordstrom.
Talking with the other finalists, it dawned on me for the first time: I have become one of the designers representing America. Until now, I was “George, the Japanese designer in New York.” Now, simply, “an American fine jewelry designer.” That is an entirely different thing. Twelve years after arriving in the US, I finally feel able to give myself some credit.
Why the Vogue Fashion Fund
―― On the jewelry side, there is also the award presented by Tiffany and the CFDA. Why did you choose the Vogue Fashion Fund?
That is a wonderful program as well, but before I am a designer, I am an entrepreneur — and the brand itself. This fund, which supports a brand’s growth in a holistic way, felt better suited to where Milamore stands today. I had known about the Vogue Fashion Fund for a long time, and in fact I applied last year. I reached Phase 2 but fell short of the finals. So this year, I tried again.
―― So the selection came on your second attempt.
Jewelry has no seasons, so you cannot show new work every year. My portfolio included last year’s pieces; what I changed was the imagery — the way it was presented visually. Rereading my answers from last year’s application, I was struck by how much a person can grow in a single year. It became a valuable moment of reflection.
―― A selection from fine jewelry carries real significance for the industry.
In America, fine jewelry is defined as solid gold of 14 karats or above — plating does not qualify. And there has always been a gap between fine jewelry and fashion. The fashion industry revolves around ready-to-wear; fine jewelry sits outside it, in a very small world of its own. American fine jewelry, moreover, is stone-driven — the great diamond as the emblem of wealth. That is one aesthetic, of course, but what I want to pursue is design. That is why I work with kintsugi, and why this selection means so much to me.
―― You also exhibited at the trade show in Las Vegas.
I showed at Couture for three years. It is a remarkable venue, but it is a stone-first world that draws gem lovers from across the country. For a brand built on design, I came to feel the right stage might be elsewhere. I want to compete on design and philosophy — and in fashion, that is what is valued. Perhaps the times have caught up as well. Trend cycles have grown impossibly short, and if we think of the planet, the era ahead belongs to slow fashion. The luxury industry over-expanded and is now in a period of retrenchment. And Japan is drawing more attention in America than ever before — even people who once had no interest in Japan are talking about it. It’s a current worth riding.
Kintsugi, Born of Rejection
―― The kintsugi concept was born of your own experience.
When I moved to the US twelve years ago, I could not find work at all — it was one rejection after another. I was doing quality checks in what was essentially a Moschino warehouse, asking myself, “What am I doing here?” I was 26. I had built a four-year career in Japan, and starting again from zero was, honestly, a bitter experience. But looking back, I believe that string of rejections led me to Milamore. Without rejection, the brand would never have been born. I wanted to kintsugi my own broken self — that single desire was why I began making kintsugi rings.
―― Did the work resonate right away?
Honestly, it took time to be embraced. The concept of kintsugi was still unknown then — I think I was a little early. Today, so many people understand it. That is why, standing in that room at Vogue’s headquarters after the selection, I thought from the bottom of my heart: this is the American dream.
Who Is a Brand For?
―― Milamore does not seem to court celebrities the way most brands do.
We do not put Milamore on celebrities. No ambassadors, and no gifting. If we gifted, it would be unfair to the customers who pay full price. What I want to cherish above all is the relationship with each and every customer who chooses Milamore.
―― A conviction that must come from your own history as one of the first influencers.
When I started the brand, I thought hard about it and concluded that the influencer position was not the right one. I drew deliberate lines — declining to attend events as influencer work, for instance. In my PR days, the work was always brand-first, celebrity-first, influencer-first, and I disliked becoming known as “the person who is close to so-and-so.” I did not want fame borrowed from other people’s names; I wanted to build this properly, under my own name. That has not changed since day one.
Not a Jewelry Brand, but a Lifestyle Brand
―― With this selection as a milestone, how will Milamore evolve from here?
Above all, I want to protect my design. Every design begins with a question: will I still want to wear this in ten, twenty, thirty years? That is non-negotiable. We have in fact made a bag — with all of the hardware in silver. The idea is to move into new categories without ever breaking the world we have built. Bags, fragrance, sunglasses: those ideas have been there since the brand’s founding.
―― So the vision reaches beyond jewelry alone.
I have no intention of being a jewelry brand. Take Chrome Hearts: cut it anywhere and it is unmistakably Chrome Hearts. There are sunglasses, there is clothing, and yet it is known for jewelry. That is the ideal. Some artists paint; others sculpt. The medium differs, but what is being expressed is one thing — that is how I think about it. Right now, jewelry is the medium through which I convey kintsugi and Japanese craftsmanship, but I want to extend the kintsugi concept into fragrance, candles, and sunglasses. I would like to write from the kintsugi perspective as well. I want to express the philosophy of kintsugi in every possible form.
―― And the pace of growth?
The brand is in its eighth year — still young. The brands with real momentum today all took more than a decade to build. Until then, we take our time, warm it slowly, and strengthen the identity. I always tell my team: not one step at a time — half a step is enough. Take three steps forward and two steps back, and you have still lost ground. So: half a step at a time, surely.
―― Finally, is there anything you are looking forward to?
I cannot share the details yet, but there is a project about a year away that I am very much looking forward to. Beyond the category of jewelry, I want to bring the philosophy of kintsugi and the world of Milamore to people in a far broader form.
From CFDA Selection to the Next Stage
For Milamore, selection for the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund is not a destination. It is, rather, a point of departure — the beginning of a new stage for the brand within the American fashion industry.
In September, Milamore will join the official New York Fashion Week calendar for the first time with a presentation — an opportunity to bring the philosophy of kintsugi, Japanese craftsmanship, and the lifestyle world the brand envisions to a wider audience, with fine jewelry as its point of origin.
Then, on October 20, the winners of the 2026 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund will be announced at a gala dinner in New York. The winner receives $300,000 and the two runners-up $100,000 each, while all finalists receive ongoing business mentorship and growth support.
“Half a step at a time, surely.”
Guided by those words, Milamore now moves beyond the frame of a jewelry brand — into its next chapter, carrying the philosophy of kintsugi to the world.
Copyright © 2026 Oui Speak Fashion. All rights reserved.
Oui Speak Fashion (OSF)® is a New York-based Global Fashion, Beauty & Luxury Business Media Platform.