X MARKS THE SPOT: Japanese rock star Yoshiki Hayashi swept into Paris Wednesday night to host a holiday dinner at the Mandarin Oriental, which boasts more decorated trees than many of the city’s Christmas markets.
Best known as the cofounder, drummer and pianist of Japanese heavy metal band X Japan, Yoshiki keeps expanding his brand into more lifestyle projects.
For example, he disclosed a collaboration with Baccarat on crystal stemware slated to reach stores in September 2024.
“They’re very provocative — something crazy,” he said, describing a design that looks like a rose when viewed above, but flames from the side.
Yoshiki, known by his first name, will be able to fill these vessels with his own California wine with Mondavi, and his own Champagne, made in collaboration with Pommery.
He also let slip that he set a bigger challenge before Baccarat: a crystal piano. He’s convinced it’s possible, but allowed it could take at least four years to realize.
In October, the musician tickled the ivories at New York’s Carnegie Hall, Hollywood’s Dolby Theater and London’s Royal Albert Hall as part of the “Yoshiki Classical 10th Anniversary World Tour With Orchestra 2023.”
Yoshiki also continues to dive deeper into fashion. He launched a line of “rock-‘n’-roll” kimonos that debuted to much buzz at Tokyo Fashion Week in 2015, and is planning a Paris show next February and a deeper push into women’s ready-to-wear and accessories.
The multi-tasking talent also hosted a screening of the documentary about him and his band, which also streams on Disney+ as “Yoshiki: My Music Story” and on Amazon Prime as “We Are X.”
