Yoko Takirai was born in Tokyo, Japan and Pietro Pellitteri in Sicily, Italy. Yoko holds degrees from West Virginia University in the United States (1994, BA in Foreign Languages and Art History). In 1995, Yoko moved to Florence, Italy where she studied at the Le Arti Orafe school (1997, diplomas in goldsmith's art, jewellery design). This was followed by a diploma in project jewellery design from the Istituto d'Arte di Firenze. 

Between 1998 and 2000 Yoko taught goldsmith's art at the Alchimia school, where became an asistant to Giampaolo Babetto in his jewellery course. In 2002, she founded Takirai Design - the contemporary jewellery company. The incounter with Pietro Pellitteri, designer and art director at Pellitteri Design, took place during a jewellery exhibition, and together they started a research path creating innovative jewellery. 

In 2018 Yoko and Pietro opened a gallery-workshop in the heart of Florence, where they continue to receive numerous awards and international recognition. Their collections have been exhibited in numerous shows both in Italy and abroad and are part of the permanent collections of several international museums and private collections. 

Since 2012 they are members of AGC – Associazione Gioiello Contemporaneo.

Meet YOKO TAKIRAI & PIETRO PELLITTERI