Tag: jewelry

Make A Statement: Jewelry For Winter

It’s hard to believe that it is almost time to decorate our Christmas trees. Of course we have been concentrating on more important things to decorate this winter. Yes, we are talking about ourselves. From necklaces to earrings to bracelets, we’ve got endless options to help you get decked out for the season. Now we know it’s a difficult time of year to show off your bling due to the thousands of layers, but adding the right finishing pieces will help make you feel less like an abominable snowman and more like accessory queen Iris Apfel. Our top three? Go for big statement necklaces that stand out between your scarf and coat, unique bangles that can be worn over gloves or cool drop earrings that peek out from your beanie.

“I think jewelry can change an outfit more than anything else. Transformation, punch, individuality: one or all of the above are why you should wear jewelry.” – Iris Apfel

 

Meet the Designer: Nettie Kent

The first thing that will strike you when speaking to jewelry designer Nettie Kent is how she might just be the epitome of the word vivacious. Spend even more time with her, and you can’t help seeing the world through rosier glasses. An artist through and through, Nettie dipped her toe into a variety of different crafts – painting, sculpting and writing – before settling in and finding her calling with jewelry. She lives primarily in Brooklyn with her husband and fur babies, but also spends several months a year in her hometown of Martha’s Vineyard, a place that strongly influences her designs today. Using recycled metals and both semi-precious and precious stones, Nettie’s sculptural designs have gained her an avid following of fans, like us. We caught up with her to find out more about her foray into jewelry design, her bohemian childhood, and which fellow designer she likes to spend Sunday brunch with. Hint: We love this designer too!

Buyers’ Guide to Spring: Jewelry Trends

Whether you’re into just a glint of something on your wrist or a full stack, we’ve all been attending the arm party for quite some time. This spring, we’re up for something a little different. So we asked the experts: what jewelry trends are you most excited about this season? They came up with four fresh ways to approach your jewelry game for spring.

KEEP IT SIMPLE

“Simple, minimalist design is our favorite type of jewelry at Finch. We currently stock the brand Still With You from Copenhagen and we absolutely love their stackable textured rings, simple chains and dainty pendants.” – Sophie Rees and Lucie Towndrow, Finch

“Hoops, simple, clean, everyday… but noticeable.” – Michelle Rizzardo, One of a Few

“This season’s jewelry is simple, timeless and perfectly unique…. Simple, organic shapes make perfect subtle adornments that you can wear everyday.” – Stephanie Gorrell, Umeboshi

EAR PARTY

“Earrings have been building in momentum for the past couple years but this spring they’re really having their moment. We’re looking forward to new pieces from WWake, Winden, Faris, Fay Andrada and Catbird.” – Hannah Factor and Zai Rajkotwala, Easy Tiger

WHITE OUT

“This spring I’m most excited for white jewelry.” – Lina Rinnell, Beklina

UPDATED CHOKER

“Like a true 90’s child, I am thrilled that chokers have made a comeback, but in a more elegant way then what I remember wearing as a teen. I had forgotten how versatile they are!” – Cecilia Marquez, Saint Cloud

“For jewelry we’re very excited about the new ARC collection from Tara 4779. The designer’s line is really minimal and concept based, but the way that she created her newest collection is very special. We especially love the choker in silver with a 5pt diamond.” – Tanya Sheikh and Ivan Gilkes, In Support Of

 

A Garmentory Holiday: Jewelry Edition

Shine on magpies. Our holiday collection is all about classic black and white, no filter and no filler, even when it comes to jewelry. We’ve got 12 limited edition pieces in The No Filter Series handcrafted by designers like In God We Trust, Seaworthy and TARA 4779. All available exclusively on Garmentory.

Meet the Designer: Shahla Karimi

We don’t use the hashtag #girlcrush lightly, but there’s really no better way to describe how we feel about this designer. Plus we share it with Lena Dunham, Gigi Hadid, Grimes and more. We’ve got a serious crush on New York-based jewelry designer Shahla Karimi. The kind, talented and business-savvy woman designs some seriously unique pieces. We sat down with her to talk business, 3D printing and quiz her on all her favorite things.

Shop Shahla Karimi >

HOW DID YOU END UP RUNNING YOUR OWN JEWELRY LINE AFTER WORKING IN THE MUSIC BIZ? I’ve worked on diverse aspects of production for a decade: from planning events as a personal assistant for the rapper Nas and singer Kelis to digital production at a record label (getting the Rolling Stones on iTunes), followed by merchandise product management and production for Warner Music Group and then President Obama’s 2012 election campaign. After the campaign I was hired by various agencies to do both digital and physical production, including a 60-piece apparel line for Vogue, where I got to work with 22 amazing designers like Victoria Beckham, Isabel Marant and Tory Burch.

The Vogue project marked my last big freelance gig. I had done every part of running a business, just never all at the same time and for my own brand. I learned how to turn No’s into Yes’s being a personal assistant. I became tech and e-commerce savvy working for record labels (transitioning into the digital world at the time) and digital agencies. And I built up my skills and network for production and marketing on the campaign and Vogue projects. There have been a lot of bumps in the road, but all of my past careers seemed to piece together like a jigsaw puzzle when I started my own company.

Meet the Designer: Marisa Howard of Seaworthy

There’s something about the fluid jewelry from Seaworthy that hints at a bigger story behind a minimalist piece. We went behind the scenes with self-taught jewelry designer Marisa Howard to find out more.

Shop Seaworthy >

TELL US HOW YOU BECAME A JEWELRY DESIGNER. I studied Journalism and Communications at University of Oregon, with a focus on magazine writing. I thought I was going to write long feature stories and learn about people’s lives, but once I was out in the “real world”, I learned that I didn’t like pressing people for their stories and I didn’t like the publishing industry in general. So I moved into Marketing and PR and worked my way into the lighting industry somehow. My “career” before starting Seaworthy was in the commercial lighting industry. I worked with clients like Nordstrom and Costco and worked on casinos in Las Vegas and Atlantic City, as well as other large projects all over the US. I traveled constantly. I can see now that all my random jobs prepared me to run this small creative business.

In the lighting industry, I worked as an operations manager for a couple years. So I hired and fired, I managed a budget, I did sales and customer service. I also managed a warehouse and implemented shipping schedules and inventory management. I also learned the creative side of lighting design and layout. In that career though, I could see the end of what I wanted to learn and accomplish. I had burned out and I knew I needed a change. In January of 2010, I just quit. I had a couple part time things lined up: a retail job and a freelance editing job for a Canadian publication, but I really had no idea what I was going to do. I was making a little jewelry as a creative outlet and a way to build community. Eighteen months after I quit my “career”, I was making jewelry full time. That was four years ago in August.

Meet the Designer: Tara Elwin of TARA 4779

There’s nothing simple about the minimalist jewelry from New York City’s TARA 4779. Even the most delicate, pared-down metal band has a complex story behind it ranging from percentages of precious metals to mathematics. Originally from New Orleans, designer Tara Elwin draws on her background in fine art and galleries for inspiration for each seasonal collection. We went behind the scenes in her studio to get to know the woman behind the emerging brand.

Shop TARA 4779 >

The Studio Series: Chen Williams

The oversized silhouettes of Ilana Kohn’s coveralls allow for them to be totally unisex which was a welcome discovery for Chen Chen and Kai Williams, the design duo at Chen Williams. “We have normal overalls which tend to be a little too technical and also much tighter fitting in the torso which don’t make them as easy to get in and out of,” Chen explains. “We love the simplicity of these coveralls and the loose fit.” Comfy workwear is important to the duo, especially considering their studio develops so many varied pieces: furniture, jewelry, coasters, bookends, home accessories, materials and more. The Pratt Institute graduates founded their creative studio in Brooklyn in 2011 and their experimental and playful combination of everyday and unusual materials has since been featured in design museums and festivals all over the world.

Chen takes the Lola Utility Coverall for a spin in their studio while we get to know him and his partner Kai.

 

The Studio Series: Caroline Ventura of BRVTVS and Calliope

“No two days of work are alike for me,” Caroline Ventura says. “I often find myself splitting time between working in the studio or overseeing production in the diamond district to being in Calliope with customers.” The New York-based jewelry designer and co-owner of Meatpacking District design boutique Calliope is a longtime friend of Ilana Kohn and you might recognize the petite bombshell babe from the lookbook photos from past seasons. For BRVTVS, Caroline mixes masculine and feminine inspiration for delicate jewelry handmade in her studio using reclaimed materials whenever possible. Naturally, she turned to Ilana for help in the versatile wardrobe department. “It’s sometimes tough to have so many costume changes throughout the day, so wearing a piece that can transition from being alone working and getting messy to meeting people face to face is a hell of a lot easier. Plus, this type of coverall always looks better once it has a little schmutz on it, so it’s okay if I get a little dirty while working.”

 

Meet the Designer: Kristen Robison of Minoux Jewelry

Developing a signature look should always involve that one piece of jewelry you never take off and goes with everything. Bonus points if it’s also made in a way that doesn’t kill the environment. Enter Minoux Jewelry. Designer Kristen Robison creates simple rings and statement necklaces from her studio in Portland and we’ve fallen hard, for the metal work and for the woman behind it. Extra bonus points for that signature piece when you know the story behind the person who made it. Here, Kristen talks to us about sustainable jewelry making, the beauty of bronze and doing away with the stress of your morning #OOTD.
HOW DID YOU GET YOUR START IN JEWELRY DESIGN? I went to India during an exploratory time in my life. I had just graduated with a degree in political science and an intention to go to law school, but was realizing that law wasn’t what I really wanted to do. In India, I learned how to solder metal using traditional techniques. It was the first time I had ever soldered or made a ring. I was incredibly struck by the skill of the artisans I learned from, and the labour-intensive techniques, which required very few tools. I think that ethos has stayed with me to this day.