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There is something particularly satisfying about seeing an artist transform a reference from one medium into their own. That is exactly why Pia Momo’s designs, spotted across our feeds, are so thumb-halting. The artist behind nail studio Seisai Kōbō, Momo is responsible for some of the best nail inspo on the internet right now. Recreating designs from the likes of Dries Van Noten, Miu Miu, Marc Jacobs and Comme des Garçons, she’s carved a space for herself in a class of beauty professionals who turn finger nails into full-blown canvases. But it’s not just fashion and beauty that inspired Pia’s creations. During this summer’s World Cup she went viral for her nail designs based on Erling Haaland memes – think playful, yet surprisingly accurate, miniature sculptures of the football star’s funniest moments.  

The 32 year-old grew up between Tokyo and Stockholm, to a Japanese mom and Swedish dad, and credits her upbringing between the two cities for shaping her beauty interests. “Growing up in Japan had a huge influence on me – nail art is such a normal part of the beauty culture there. I was also there during the peak of Gyaru culture (early 2000), and I saw a lot of incredible, over-the-top nail art. That always stayed with me.”

After living in London for several years, she is now based between there and Stockholm, where she continues to build her vision of beauty and the way she translates it into design. To Pia, beauty is about reflecting your inner world, which is why she feels most beautiful when she is living in alignment with what she loves, surrounded by the people she loves. “Beauty, to me, is self-expression, but it’s never just surface. It’s subjective and shouldn’t have a ‘right’ or ‘wrong’.  Real beauty, I believe, is less about how something looks and more about the aura you give.”

What is it you do and why do you do it?

Pia Momo: I’m a nail artist and a content creator – I love to create simple but striking designs, fun and cute designs, designs inspired by my favourite fashion pieces and more. I love to be able to storytell through my nails.

What are you trying to communicate through your work?

Pia Momo: Nail art often gets overlooked because it’s such a ‘small’ part of a look, and it still carries a bit of stigma in fashion – as though its roots in street culture keep it out of ‘high-end’ spaces. That‘s shifting, though, and I love seeing how many brands now treat nails as part of how a look speaks. For me, nails are canvases. They hold fashion, references and craft on the same level as make-up or hair. What I want to communicate is that something this tiny can carry an enormous amount of creativity and storytelling.

Can you tell us more about the name “Sesai Kōbō”? Where does it come from and what does it mean?

Pia Momo: Seisai (星彩) comes from the Japanese for ‘star’ and ‘radiance’, so it evokes the brilliance or shine of a star – it can also refer to the star-shaped shimmer you see in gems which I love for something all about tiny, jewel-like art. Kōbō (工房) simply means ‘atelier’ or ‘workshop’.

What’s been your career highlight so far?

Pia Momo: If I had to pick a highlight aesthetically, it would be working with Paula Canovas del Vas. I’d been a big fan of the brand for a long time, so getting to express my own vision of her aesthetic through the nails I created for her show was a moment I will cherish. 

Who is your beauty icon?

Pia Momo: There were definitely moments of me obsessing over young Beyoncé’s looks whether that was her make-up, outfit or her hairstyles, but as I’ve grown older, I find myself just being inspired by many of the women in my life. I think we’re all meant to inspire each other – my icons! 

What is your current obsession?

Pia Momo: Transparent jelly nails, Dr K and my two beautiful cats.

What is the future of beauty? 

Pia Momo: I think the future of beauty is radical individuality. Lately I feel like everything has trended toward one homogenised ideal (the same face, the same look everywhere) – I’m a victim of that too, but I really hope we’re moving in the opposite direction. Beauty as self-expression, where the point is to look like yourself, not like everyone else. Learning to love the ‘imperfections’. 

It’s 30 years from now. You stumble home at 3am and catch your reflection in the fridge door. What do you look like?

Pia Momo: That would make me 62, and if I’m stumbling home at 3am at 62, I must be doing something important! Honestly, I’d hope to catch a thriving, healthy, fulfilled version of myself in that reflection. Wrinkles and grey hair and all – I hope to see a beauty that comes from the inside, because I really do think that reflects on the outside too. 

You’re the editor of a time travelling beauty journal 100 years from now – what beauty trends are you reporting on?

Pia Momo: Nail colors that change depending on your stress-level, like a health monitor band. 

As a warning to the other members of the resistance your head is to be mounted above the gates of the city. How would you do your make-up that morning?

Pia Momo: Honestly? I’d probably book a lash appointment for that morning.