Chinese artisans transform press-on nails into high-value works of art
Milan (ANTARA) - As an Italian model slowly moved her fingers under the spotlight, green tourmaline stones adorning nails with transparent green gradients shimmered, capturing the attention of visitors at Milan Fashion and Fashion Week.
The showcase was part of a special event held this week alongside Milan Fashion Week, featuring handmade nail art products, specifically press-on nails, from the Donghai region in Jiangsu Province, eastern China.
Far different from typical disposable press-on nails, these products from Donghai blend art with various techniques, such as crystal carving, filigree craftsmanship, and enamelling. Some of the intricately crafted sets are even priced at thousands of US dollars.
Li Xiao, General Manager of Jiangsu Jingyiyi Supply Chain Management Co., Ltd., stated that a set of press-on nails featuring Sun Wukong (the Monkey King), hand-painted and brought to the event, received an excellent response. A local tour guide spotted them on the first day and immediately placed a pre-order.
According to Li, the international popularity of Sun Wukong gives the design cross-cultural appeal. Donghai has close ties to Mount Huaguo, which in legend is known as the home of the Monkey King. Consequently, designers draw inspiration from stories related to the region to create authentic works with distinct local character.
“Unlike disposable products, these intricately crafted press-on nails can be carefully removed, stored, and reused. This makes them a high-value alternative to traditional manicures performed in nail salons,” she said.
A Chinese press-on nail company told Xinhua that the price for one set of hand-painted products can range from several hundred yuan (1 yuan = Rp2,666) to several thousand US dollars (1 US dollar = Rp17,898).
A set inspired by the famous Chinese painting “A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains” is priced at 2,000 US dollars. Some individuals have even begun treating these nails as collector’s items.
“I am very interested in these Chinese press-on nail designs. I think this is something new in Italy because designs like this are rarely found in the market here,” said Katerina Kutsak, an Italian fashion blogger. She added that the motifs, which blend Chinese cultural elements, feel very unique.
Behind the products exhibited in Milan lies an industry that began to flourish around 2019, after investors recognised the potential of applying small crystals to press-on nails.
The industry subsequently expanded rapidly by leveraging the crystal resources of Donghai, which has been globally recognised as a World Craft City for Crystal.
Since then, Donghai has become the largest production hub for press-on nails in China. According to the local government, products from Donghai are exported to more than 30 countries and regions.