George Inaki is a Filipino-born, Japan-raised fine jewellery designer and the founder and creative director of Milamore, a New York-based brand established in 2019. Also known as George Inaki Root in earlier interviews, he is recognised for jewellery inspired by Japanese kintsugi, combining traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design.
Before establishing Milamore, he gained experience in jewellery retail, public relations and luxury branding. In June 2026, he was selected as a finalist for the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund. He subsequently presented Milamore’s work during New York Fashion Week and participated in a Paris showroom.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Professional name | George Inaki |
| Also known as | George Inaki Root |
| Birthplace | Manila, Philippines |
| Upbringing | Raised in Japan from age nine |
| Profession | Fine jewellery designer |
| Brand | Milamore |
| Design inspiration | Japanese kintsugi |
| Recognition | 2026 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalist |
Who Is George Inaki, the Founder of Milamore?
George Inaki is a jewellery designer whose work connects Japanese craftsmanship with personal storytelling. Born in Manila, he moved to Japan when he was nine and spent approximately 17 years there. He later relocated to New York, where he developed his career in the jewellery industry.
His multicultural background influences the creative direction of Milamore, particularly its use of Japanese artistic traditions and contemporary jewellery techniques.
Earlier professional interviews identify him as George Inaki Root, while recent publications from Milamore and the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) use George Inaki.
He established his professional identity through Milamore, which produces fine jewellery in Japan while maintaining its creative direction in New York.
In June 2026, George Inaki became one of ten CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalists, marking an important milestone for his jewellery brand, Milamore.
From Jewellery Retail in Japan to Creative Work in New York
Inaki’s introduction to jewellery began during his student years in Japan, when he worked in jewellery retail. The experience allowed him to learn about gemstones, precious metals and the practical considerations involved in selling fine jewellery.
Working directly with customers also introduced him to the relationship between jewellery and personal expression.
He subsequently spent approximately four years working in public relations in Japan. This professional experience helped him understand branding, communication, and the commercial side of the luxury industry.
After relocating to New York, he completed an internship at AEFFE USA, gaining further exposure to fashion-industry operations.
However, he eventually became dissatisfied with working in public relations. In an August 2026 interview with Vogue Philippines, he described wanting greater creative independence rather than continuing to communicate the ideas of other brands.
Jewellery design offered him an opportunity to develop his own work while drawing on his earlier professional experience.
How George Inaki Established Milamore in 2019
The development of Milamore began with a business opportunity in 2018. Inaki subsequently launched the brand in April 2019, establishing a jewellery business that connected New York design with Japanese manufacturing.
Although the company’s current profile identifies him as its founder, earlier interviews also document Azusa Yamato as a co-founder involved in establishing the business.
The brand’s name has a personal origin.
Inaki named Milamore after his grandmother, Milagros, whom he affectionately called Mila. He combined her nickname with amore, the Italian word for love.
In a March 2021 interview with Front Row Edit, he discussed how his grandmother influenced his early appreciation of jewellery and clothing. Watching her carefully choose jewellery and clothing during his childhood helped shape the creative vision he later brought to Milamore.
Milamore’s production approach also reflects his years in Japan.
Rather than moving manufacturing entirely elsewhere, he chose to maintain relationships with Japanese craftspeople. During an August 2021 interview with JCK, he acknowledged that production costs and international logistics could make this decision challenging.
He nevertheless considered Japanese craftsmanship an important part of the brand’s identity.
His work consequently combines the commercial and creative experience he gained in New York with manufacturing techniques associated with Japan’s jewellery industry.
The Japanese Kintsugi Philosophy Behind His Jewellery
One of the central influences on Milamore is kintsugi, a Japanese technique traditionally used to repair broken ceramics while making their fractures visible.
Rather than concealing the damage, kintsugi makes repaired fractures visible, turning them into a distinctive part of the object’s appearance.
Inaki adapted this concept into jewellery through sculptural forms, gold details and designs that emphasise irregularity.
For him, the philosophy extends beyond appearance.
In interviews and a personal letter published in December 2023, he connected kintsugi with the idea that difficult experiences and imperfections can become meaningful parts of a person’s identity.
His interpretation developed alongside his own professional experiences.
After moving to New York, he encountered difficulties establishing industry relationships and deciding how to build an independent creative career. He later connected those experiences with the themes of rebuilding and acceptance found in kintsugi.
Another important influence is Italian jewellery designer Elsa Peretti.
In his 2026 interviews, Inaki discussed his admiration for Peretti’s attention to sculptural shapes and the relationship between jewellery and the human body.
These influences contribute to his interest in creating jewellery that communicates through shape and design rather than relying solely on the decorative value of gemstones.
Milamore Collections and George Inaki’s Design Approach
Milamore’s collections explore different approaches to jewellery while retaining an emphasis on craftsmanship and personal meaning.
The Kintsugi collection is closely associated with Inaki’s design identity. Its pieces reinterpret the appearance of repaired fractures through jewellery forms, drawing on the Japanese tradition that initially inspired the brand.
Another collection, Duo Chains, experiments with contrasting precious metals and traditional chain structures.
By combining different materials and reworking familiar jewellery shapes, Inaki explores how established designs can be presented in contemporary forms.
Milamore has also developed Zodiac jewellery, introducing another theme within its wider collection.
A further example is its Braille-inspired jewellery, which incorporates diamond arrangements based on Braille characters.
Inaki has discussed these pieces in connection with communication and his interest in making jewellery meaningful beyond its appearance.
His creative approach involves considering how jewellery interacts with the wearer, both physically and personally.
Across these collections, he draws on Japanese craftsmanship, sculptural design and the idea that jewellery can communicate individual experiences.
George Inaki’s Recognition at the 2026 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund
On 2 June 2026, the Council of Fashion Designers of America announced George Inaki as one of ten finalists for the 2026 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund.
He was selected as the designer behind Milamore, placing his jewellery work alongside other emerging American fashion businesses recognised by the programme.
The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund is a programme recognising emerging designers and supporting their professional development within the fashion industry.
At Vogue’s New York offices in June 2026, Inaki shared Milamore’s designs with the Fashion Fund judges and discussed the influences behind his creative work.
His participation also provided an opportunity to discuss the challenges of entering the design industry without conventional professional connections.
During interviews associated with the programme, he expressed a desire to encourage aspiring designers from financially disadvantaged or unconventional backgrounds.
His own development through retail work, public relations and independent business creation formed part of that discussion.
The finalist selection represented a significant professional milestone for Milamore.
By 13 October 2026, Inaki remained among the ten finalists, ahead of the CFDA’s scheduled winner announcement in New York on 20 October.
Milamore at New York Fashion Week and Paris in 2026
Following his Fashion Fund selection, Inaki presented Milamore’s work during New York Fashion Week in September 2026.
September 2026 marked Milamore’s debut on the official New York Fashion Week calendar, with Inaki showcasing his jewellery at Sorate, a Japanese tea house.
Vogue’s coverage, published on 14 September, described a setting that included fine jewellery alongside reworked kimono garments.
Fellow finalist Julia Ferentinos, founder of the jewellery label Juju Vera, also presented her designs during New York Fashion Week in September 2026.
The presentation connected Milamore’s contemporary designs with the Japanese cultural influences that have informed its work since the brand’s establishment.
Inaki’s professional activities continued into October.
On 3–4 October 2026, he participated in Americans in Paris, a showroom programme involving the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalists.
The CFDA confirmed his involvement alongside the other selected designers, extending Milamore’s professional exposure beyond New York.
He has also discussed ambitions to develop the brand beyond fine jewellery.
In his August 2026 Vogue Philippines interview, he mentioned possible future work involving home objects and fragrance, alongside his interest in seeing Kintsugi designs represented in major museums.
These ambitions remain part of his broader creative plans rather than established completed projects.
Milamore’s growing presence at international fashion events has brought wider attention to Inaki’s approach to fine jewellery. His work remains rooted in Japanese craftsmanship, sculptural design, and personal influences that shaped the brand from its beginnings.