ABOUT US
Exploring the Sacred Geometry of Culture
Founded in London in 2015 by Japanese artist Akiko Ban and Creative Director Taiyo Nagano, MYSTIC FORMS creates contemporary jewellery inspired by journeys through the world's cultures. From ancient temples and archaeological sites to museums and traditional craftsmanship, every collection begins with travel and observation, transforming cultural inspiration into contemporary jewellery that feels both familiar and unexpected.
Every collection begins with a journey.
We travel to experience the places where culture has taken shape over centuries—from archaeological sites and museums to traditional craftsmanship and everyday life. We believe that being there reveals relationships between landscape, architecture, objects and people that cannot be understood through research alone.
During these journeys, certain forms begin to resonate with us. Sometimes it is the geometry of a carved stone, the rhythm of a decorative pattern, or the quiet presence of an ancient sculpture. We are drawn to the distinctive energy they carry through their shape, history and cultural context.
Back in the studio, these impressions evolve through drawing, experimentation and conversation. Rather than reproducing historical motifs, we reinterpret what we have experienced, allowing each collection to develop its own contemporary identity.
Over the past decade, MYSTIC FORMS has created collections inspired by cultures including Ancient Egypt, the Maya civilisation, India, Morocco and Japan. Each collection explores a different cultural landscape while sharing the same creative philosophy: transforming cultural inspiration into contemporary jewellery that feels both familiar and unexpected.
For us, jewellery is more than an accessory. It is a way of carrying stories, memories and cultural encounters into everyday life.
Through MYSTIC FORMS, we invite you to discover these journeys and become part of them.
Akiko Ban
Akiko Ban is a Japanese artist based in London and co-founder of MYSTIC FORMS. She holds an MFA in Fine Art (Sculpture) from the Slade School of Fine Art, UCL, and a BA (Hons) in Drawing from Camberwell College of Arts, UAL. Her work has been exhibited internationally, including the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, and she has collaborated with organisations and brands including RADIO EVA (Neon Genesis Evangelion), the Japanese fashion label matohu and Basement Jaxx. Through MYSTIC FORMS, she combines contemporary artistic practice with a long-standing interest in culture, travel and craftsmanship.
Taiyo Nagano
Taiyo Nagano is a Creative Director and co-founder of MYSTIC FORMS. He holds an MA in Digital Arts from Camberwell College of Arts, UAL, and is the founder of the London design studio Tamassy Creative, specialising in branding, visual identity and digital design. His clients include Netflix, BBC, Celia Birtwell, Basement Jaxx and James Blunt. At MYSTIC FORMS, he leads creative direction, visual communication, photography and the development of the brand's contemporary design language.
