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Our Blog
Diana of the Upper Air
Diana, atop Madison Square Garden
"For a short while the highest point of the New York skyline was marked by a girl standing on tiptoe. At night she was also the brightest point, the focus of 66 incandescent lamps and ten spotlights, at a time when there was little electric light in the city. During the day, the sun detonated her gilded surface and she ‘flashed against a green-blue sky’, as Willa Cather described it in My Mortal Enemy." — Diana of the Upper Air, Lavinia Greenlaw
Reader, read it! So very, very good. Like a gust of cool breeze, the sort that would have sent Diana spinning.
xo LeighThe Catbird Giving Fund Spotlight: Kurandza
The Catbird Giving Fund is so proud to support Kurandza in honor of our new collection with artist Cassi Namoda. Kurandza is a grassroots nonprofit based in Mozambique that provides holistic schooling for over 200 girls and counting! When you give a girl an education, she’s more likely to earn a higher income, provide healthcare and opportunities for her family, and send her own daughters to school someday, breaking the cycle of poverty. This is why empowering girls within their own community has always been one of Catbird Giving Fund's primary areas of focus. Below is the story of Kurandza through founder Elisabetta Colabianchi.
What originally brought you to Mozambique?
In 2014 I joined the Peace Corps and my first assignment brought me to a rural village in Mozambique where I volunteered in the maternal and infant health department at the hospital, Centro de Saúde of Guijá. My work there included counseling HIV+ women on the prevention and transmission to their babies. While I was there I fell in love with the people, the lifestyle and honestly everything about the country and from there I became very integrated into the community. In addition to learning the national language of Portuguese, I loved learning the local language (Changana) and building strong friendships with many of the women in the community, which then inspired me to continue working and living there.
Kurandza originally started as a sewing cooperative in Mozambique. Can you elaborate on how its focus has evolved over time?
We started as a sewing cooperative, but because of our grassroots approach, we’re able to shift with the community needs. In 2016, the drought and hunger crisis hit Mozambique. This propelled us to bring our first campaign to life, raising enough funds to give food aid to a select group of HIV+ women and their families as well as all the women in the sewing cooperative. From this we started envisioning the real possibilities of bringing the community together. Over the years, we assessed the differences between short-term fixes and long-term impact, and we began to recognize that the earlier a girl receives support in her life, the more sustainable her growth, development, and community impact will likely be. And so, we shifted our focus to education. We began with the sponsorship of Lindsey Brianna, and in just three months, she was counting in English, reciting poetry in Portuguese, and had a newfound curiosity about the world around her. In the fall of 2017, we launched the first #IStandForGirls campaign with the goal of sending 100 girls to school. This was the start of Kurandza as we know it today. Since then, we have witnessed the transformative power of education and focused our efforts on providing scholarships, resources, and psychosocial support to all of our students.
How many students does the program sponsor currently and across what education levels does the program span?
Currently we have 200 girls and 5 boys enrolled in our program spanning from preschool through high school. Next month we will launch our partnerships with students at local universities who will come on as interns with Kurandza--serving as “mentor leaders” for the girls in our new mentorship program.
Kurandza takes a holistic approach to each student’s education. Can you talk a bit about what that entails?
Since the start of our girls education program, we’ve come to realize that education involves much more than just school attendance. It’s about access to all of the tools that allow and support someone to actually become educated. To be at the same level as the other students begins with a uniform, but it also includes reliable and safe transportation, proper school supplies like rulers and protractor sets, art materials, textbooks, notebooks, and pencils. Additionally, it involves holistic care, which means helping with the social aspects of their lives, too, since social and home situations are often strongly correlated with academic performance. We take special care with the most at risk girls who are HIV+, pregnant, or dealing with abuse or malnutrition, and offer counseling, mentorship, and social support for all 200 girls in our program, with the long-term goal of supporting the girls through high school, and going on to reach their full potential.
How has the pandemic affected Kurandza’s efforts and the student’s education?
The pandemic has widened the literacy gap globally, especially in the rural villages where we do most of our work. With the schools closed for over a year, we have seen a decline in the girls’ literacy, but now that the lockdown is over, we are finally able to implement our literacy workshops to get the girls back up to the national standard level pre-Covid. A year out of the classroom has also caused a significant increase in the dropout and teen pregnancy rates. In an effort to provide extra support and counseling to these girls, we’ve brought on additional team members who also serve as the impetus to start our waterfall-model mentorship program. Our newest Kurandza team members are part of the 1% of Mozambican women to graduate college, and will be working alongside local college students, acting as mentor leaders for the high school mentors, who will then be placed in groups of 10 younger girls (mentees)-- with each generation guiding the next.
What are you envisioning for the future of Kurandza?
I’m excited about the future of Kurandza! This year has been a year of renewal and transformation, growing our leadership team in Mozambique, and strengthening our programs. I’m looking forward to continuing to build out our mentorship program by involving more women leaders and together creating the next generation of female leaders in Mozambique. Heading towards 300 girls, this year we want to support even more girls in the community, and in the long-term we have dreams of developing a leadership academy and curriculum.
On the US side, we’re looking forward to cultivating community and building relationships with aligned individuals and companies, so that we can work together towards this shared vision. Together is always better!
What is one of your favorite success stories?
The first story that came to mind is 10-year-old Ayanda. She was one of the first babies I met after arriving in Mozambique 10 years ago. When we started our girls education program in 2017, Ayanda was in the founding group of girls as a first grader. Her mother, Gelar, like many of the women in the village, never had access to education like Ayanda does, and knew her daughter deserved to have more opportunities in life. Ayanda was initially so apprehensive about going to school 4 years ago. She was afraid and wasn’t used to seeing other people in her family or her sphere of influence attending school. But once she received her very own uniform and backpack full of school supplies, she gained confidence and purpose in attending school. She is now one of the girls who is always excited and happy to attend school, and she has one of the best attendance records of all the girls in our program. Seeing her flourish has been one of the most rewarding experiences for me.
Where do you look for motivation and inspiration?
I get motivated to push through the difficulties when I see how much this work means to our team in Mozambique (and the US). Our team works day and night to help empower girls to have a say in their future, and they constantly encourage me to keep on working towards our shared vision. Talking with the girls and hearing about their progress also empowers me, because it shows me that we are making a tangible difference and that this work matters. I’m also constantly inspired by the creative community of women I’ve met on Instagram :)
Learn more about Kurandza's 2020 impact
Shop our collection with Cassi Namoda
Catbird Spotlight: Stacey Nishimoto
I'm a longtime admirer of Stacey Nishimoto and her emphasis on elegance, ease, open and quixotic specificity, vulnerability, and the beauty of every day. I've been screenshotting her posts on Instagram for as long as I can remember using Instagram (a mixed blessing, that IG, but oh the glory of peeking into lives!), and I'm so thrilled to work with her and say that Catbird is her first retail account.
xo Leigh
What is your first jewelry memory?
My first jewelry memory was watching Dynasty. Jewels that matched the actual dresses worn seared through my tiny brain.
What does jewelry mean to you?
Jewelry means everything to me. Although I own a few key pieces, I wear them carefully daily. Jewelry holds energy. When I slip on a large stone on my finger or a delicate gold chain on my neck, it literally elevates my soul. I feel like jewelry acts like an exclamation mark at the end of a sentence, it does the same thing to my outfit no matter how casual the outfit is.
Where do you look for inspiration?
I find divine inspiration in music, vintage interior books, random people who I come across in my life that become my muses, my city, Los Angeles.
How do you like to wear your jewelry?
I am a minimalist and a maximalist. I switch back and forth with moods. I like to wear one giant ring. Other days I layer with delicate sensual yellow gold. I also like to wear jewelry unexpectedly, for example I like to wear my pearl choker casually like with an old oversized t-shirt.
Can you share with us a challenge in bringing your (very singular) vision to life?
Honestly the biggest challenge is that I am self-funded so I have to carefully release pieces that are without time. Pieces that you could wear easily three years later. My brain is bursting with ideas that I wish I could pour out into the world. I don’t want to clutter the world with a bunch of products regardless, everything I put out will always be practical and forever. Hopefully one day I will be a full on fashion house representing the raw beauty of my world in Los Angeles, the city of angels.
Do you take your jewelry off at night? Leave it on? We know that you are a bather (oh, Instagram!), do you wear jewels in the tub?
I bathe with gold. But anything that has a stone I take off :)
Take us through a perfect day in LA.
A perfect day in LA starts with an iced espresso and a chorizo and potato burrito with a side of pickled carrots and jalapenos. Then heading to the beach with a bottle of chilled amber wine and poké and basking under the beautiful California sun. Night capping at a crazy friend's house in Echo Park.
Shop Stacey Nishimoto
Three Looks - Lauren
Writer, vintage lover, strawberry admirer: meet Lauren! We met Lauren at our inaugural book club meeting, held last year at our Soho shop. More book clubs, more of our Soho shop to come, but until then, let's join Lauren as she wears Catbird (and some excellent dresses) with great aplomb and joie de vivre.
Look One
A passion we share with Lauren: baskets. Oh, and stacks, so many fine and good ring stacks!
shop the look
Look Two
A Full Heart a Baby Pearl Collar, rings rings and more rings, and a boyfriend are Lauren's boon companions for a walk to get some matcha at Secret Garden.
shop the look
Look Three
Before heading out to dinner with a friend (the delight of doing this again!) Lauren has a little moment with a Gumball Ring, the Portraiture Pearl Earrings, a sprig of goldenrod, and an expertly-applied cat eye.
shop the look
Weird Greens
The sides of the highways are teeming, unshorn, a veritable forest clearing full of bunnies-fairies-wild flowers-butterflies-bees, to city people like you and me. To come: weird greens on the wall, for when the flowers fall. Here, some green as my guest on the car ride home — I've got a pair of clippers and I clip with full decorum from public spaces where all is plentiful. I seek to bring you clippers, too.
Clip kindly,
LeighPhoto Journal: Anthony + Austin
My son and I were checking out at our favorite bookstore, Books Are Magic, when I noticed Anthony's perfect Catbird stacks and they noticed my Catbird email! Learning that they and their partner, Austin, get each other Catbird jewelry for meaningful occassions is the best possible thing I could ever hear. We invited Anthony & Austin to spend the afternoon with us and chat about all things jewelry and love!
-- Rony, Founder & Co-Creative Director
Where are you both originally from?
Austin: We moved around a lot growing up, my mom had a restless heart. But, for me Sebastopol, California always felt like my home with vivid memories of misty mornings and ancient redwoods.
Anthony: I grew up on Long Island, we also moved around a lot, my parents are divorced and bouncing back and forth between them unfortunately nothing really felt like home. I do sometimes miss being able to just walk outside to lay in the grass and read.
How did you meet?
Anthony: We actually met on OkCupid. After talking for awhile we decided to set a date to get coffee in the East Village. The day of our date I rushed onto the subway platform and I thought I saw someone who looked familiar, so I turned to them and said “Austin?”. It turned out that we actually lived off the same subway stop in Bushwick, and our apartments were only 4 blocks away from each other. Our date started on the subway platform and fast forward 7 years, here we are. It does seem pretty unreal how much of a rom-com our first date was like, after coffee we started walking around and we happened to walk down a street where they were filming a movie and it was completely covered in fake snow in the middle of summer. We got ice cream at the end and when Austin forgot the word for bench (I guess because he was nervous, something he’ll never fully admit) he asked if we should sit down on the “long chair” which I’ve never let him forget.
What are your jewelry uniforms?
Austin: I always wear a stack of yellow and rose gold hammered rings with a Cosmic Witch Ring, mirrored on the other hand with a Twisted Stacker and an opal and diamond Sleeping Beauty Ring. I love a healthy flow of necklaces so I’ll wear a Sleeping Beauty, Unicorn Horseshoe, and a Tinsel Chain with a Fort Tilden Charm regularly. I love a good anklet so I always wear a Sweet Nothing with a Mermaid Treasure Charm even over my nursing compression socks, it gets a lot of attention on the unit. And as my grandma always said, "A lady always has a string of pearls!" So with that in mind I always wear a pearl bracelet, whether it’s a string of Catbird Sweet Sixteen pink pearls or a Serpentine Delilah Pearl Bracelet. Then there’s earrings I never leave home without at least four!
Anthony: The thing I wear every day, because I can’t actually take it off is my Forever Sweet Nothing Bracelet that matches Austin’s. It’s only ever come off once, after our cat Dorito clawed it off getting a little too rambunctious playing tag. My Gentle Spider Charm crawls to different spots everyday, sometimes I wear it on my 1976 Bracelet or on my Sweet Nothing Chain, or I’ll hook it onto the backing of an earring stud. I never actually take my rings off, I have a mix of different Catbird rings stacked with a Black Diamond Tiniest Ring, Naga Snake Ring, and Moon Guardian Ring from Sofia Zakia.
So you both have quite the Catbird collection!
Austin: It was actually Anthony that first introduced me to Catbird. For our first anniversary Anthony surprised me with a dinner date at Beauty & Essex - and I’d been living as a pretty broke nursing student then so it was pretty impressive! Anyway, towards the end of our dinner, Anthony presented me with my very first piece of my Catbird collection, a Classic Hammered Ring. Now it’s almost been seven years since that day and it’s still my most treasured piece of my collection.
Anthony: Later that year Austin completely surprised me with a Catbird Rose Thorn necklace for Yule. It’s been a tradition to get each other Catbird pieces ever since.
What does jewelry mean to you both?
Austin: For me jewelry is magic, from the inherent power lying in the natural stones to the dedication of the inspired artist that made them - pure magic! I also connect very deeply with jewelry and my grandmother - she had an impressive collection with some original Tiffany pieces to family heirlooms. I recall getting ready with her, trying on some of her necklaces and huge strings of pearls, and sorting through her collection with her to get her jewelry uniform on for the day.
Anthony: I have a deep fascination with medieval alchemy. Gold was one of seven metals they used to represent the heavenly bodies. Gold fittingly represented the sun, and jewelry makes me feel like I’m wearing rays of sunlight.
When did you know it was love?
Anthony: As gushy as it sounds, the first time we told each other we loved each other, I had been reading Austin short stories as the sun was setting and we were just laying in my bed and staring into each other’s eyes, and in that moment I knew it was love. He was able to ground me and know me unlike anyone ever had. That’s when we first told each other “I love you” though he always says that he said it first.
Describe your perfect New York day together!
Austin: Quite recently we had a pretty perfect New York day together this April. First, we have found that every perfect day has to start with brunch with a few mimosas. Anthony then took me to the Brooklyn botanical gardens for the very first time - it was simply incredible surrounded by newly flowering cherry blossoms, a beautiful Japanese garden, and flower petals gently blowing through the air. We then traveled into the Lower East Side, visited a pencil store owned by one of Anthony’s friends, picked up a bouquet of peonies, and a jar of pickles from a newly opened book store. Towards the end of the day I think we had walked close to 12 miles, so we made our way back to our Bushwick home and treated ourselves to some pretty amazing Chinese takeout.
A + A 's Shopping Edit
Catbird x The Real Real
This is the Catbird collection of our technicolor dreams! We were so excited to work with materials beyond our usual palette, and to treat with reverence these pieces that held their own stories. We thought about the streets of New York, flooded with color, Taglioni’s Jewel Casket by Joseph Cornell, and women who run to the bodega in their nightgown, a trenchcoat and diamond earrings. Our in-house design team carefully extracted stones and tucked them gently and precisely into their new homes which all nod to classic Catbird silhouettes. We’re so proud of this collection, and are really energized by the splashes of luminous color. We hope you like it, too.
- Leigh Batnick Plessner, Catbird Creative Director
what's old is new
in the studio
the complete collection
Diamond Baby Pearl Hoops
Diamond Baby Pearl Necklace
Holy Cannoli Supreme Charm Necklace
Diamond Moon Flower Ring
Double Sleeping Beauty Opal Ring
Emerald Solitaire Supreme
Dewdrop Pearl Necklace Supreme
Full Heart Charm Supreme Necklace
Marquise Snow Queen Ring
Topsy-Turvy Angel Hair Ruby Earrings
Topsy-Turvy Angel Hair Sapphire Earrings
Pearl Odette the Swan Ring
Sapphire Moon Flower Ring
Snow Queen Bangle
Catbird x Hannah Magazine
Earlier this spring we shot a photo project with our friends at HANNAH, it was a story of strength and beauty, of birthing in all forms. Founder and editor-in-chief Qimmah Saafir created HANNAH as an ode to black women everywhere and true to its conception, this is the story of the many interwoven connections between Qimmah, her daughter Leahn, and Memaniye, the midwife who delivered Leahn 4 years ago.
The complete editorial will be released on Friday, May 7th on HANNAH's digital platform (stay tuned!) This is a glimpse, alongside an interview with Qimmah on motherhood, and all of the light and love on set that day.
In celebration of the project, The Catbird Giving Fund has made a donation of $10,000 to the National Birth Equity Collaborative, in support of their work in Black maternal and infant health.Tell us about how Hannah Magazine came to be.
I essentially created what I wanted to see exist. I grew up with publications that highlighted and celebrated Black women. Aside from Essence, there were none that I could look to in my early adulthood. I wanted to celebrate Black women wholly, not just celebrities. I wanted to document how amazing we are, in a way that is beautiful and timeless.
You are also the creator of a digital platform on ‘perspective shifts’ - what do you find most useful for finding perspective, clarity, balance?
Carving out time for stillness. For sitting with my breath and grounding my heart. It's much easier to grant myself grace, allow space to feel something fully and emote when I am grounded in my heart space. Those things always bring clarity.
What was your inspiration for the shoot? What story did you want to tell?
I often think about the juxtaposition of soft and strong. How they are often seen as opposites but in fact go hand in hand. The way the earth must be soft to be workable, fertile, and the quiet strength it requires to support the growth of plants and crops. Also the characteristics of the womb. This is what was on my mind when thinking about this shoot celebrating birthing. I really wanted to visually present soft and strong.
What was your favorite part of the shoot?
Showing Memaniye a photo of herself in the dress we selected for her. She was hesitant when she saw it on the rack, but lit up when she saw how she looked in it. I live for those moments.
Describe your perfect day.
I have yet to master easing into my day with a toddler. I'm normally reactive as soon as I am called to open my eyes. A perfect day is any day that I have control of my time and process. As well as any day spent in nature or with loved ones.
What is your favorite mother-daughter ritual?
Our nighttime ritual. We read, we sing, we create stories, we cuddle. When she falls asleep I pray over her. Every night.
When you are in New York, what are you go-to spots?
Well the pandemic kind of shut all this down but Ode to Babel, Evelina, Ruby's and Zaca Cafe, Fort Greene and Prospect parks.
What songs are you playing on repeat right now / always?
I have an everyday playlist that I add to whenever I hear a song that moves me. It has everyone from Stevie Wonder to Gabriel Garzon-Montano to Tame Impala to Buena Vista Social Club.
What does jewelry mean to you?
My jewelry is an extension of my energy. I rarely take off my pieces and I have special occasion jewelry when I want to present my energy even more.
Questions for Leahn
What's your favorite color?
Rainbow!
Did you have fun at the photoshoot?
Yes, I got to take some pictures.
Do you like jewelry?
Yes, especially pretty rings.
What's your favorite thing to eat for lunch?
Square pasta! For lunch or dinner or anytime.
Can you tell us about your mom? We think she's so cool, she must be such a fun mommy!
I love my mommy. I love when we play together and go places. She's my favorite mommy.
Hannah Magazine Jewelry Edit
Catbird Spotlight: Chelsea Mak
"Like if Norma Kamali skipped cotillion to go to a punk show and then met her godfather for dim sum the next morning before reporting for work in her 80s power suit," is how LA based designer Chelsea Mak describes her eponymous clothing line. How does she wear her own work? "The more unexpected the combination the better...with good jewelry, like all my Catbird pieces!"
effortless dress is a balancing act inspired by Chelsea’s childhood
I was born and raised in LA but spent a large part of my childhood in Hong Kong and Taiwan where my parents are from, living in Hong Kong from ages 2 to 6 and then visiting every summer thereafter.
Being connected to both LA and Hong Kong definitely made such impressions on my style. From LA it was the laid-back casual way of dressing, I learned from early on that even if you spent hours putting an outfit together it should come across like it took you seconds. From Hong Kong it was the opposite — flip flops and jeans might be considered sloppy so it was a balancing act to exist in both worlds which has translated through my designs — a balancing act between old and new world, high and low brow, east and west.
dressing for this newest spring we’ve been waiting for
I’m really into the idea of using the Vienna Blouse as a light jacket over everything and the more unexpected the combination the better. I have a floor length muslin slip dress I’d like to wear over it as well as a vintage Norma Kamali piece that’s a white cotton onesie; over jeans and nude bodysuit would be cool too. All with good jewelry, like all my Catbird pieces!
what you can’t stop imagining is worth the pursuit.
Striking out on my own felt a lot like jumping off a cliff unplanned for. At the time I was working for a brand I believed in, a boss I looked up to and co-workers I loved also but I could not stop thinking about what the main label of the brand would look like if I started one. There were so many huge unknowns but I knew that I wouldn’t have been happy if I stayed where I was so I took the plunge. It was very scary for the first few months but also very exciting.
The Vienna, Amalia and Gallery blouses are the core pieces in the line so designing a new collection will always feel a bit like building out a wardrobe around those three pieces. Since they are all quite feminine and bold and in the classic silk white taffeta, I like the other pieces to be more masculine, unassuming and offbeat.
A large part of the collection is made from deadstock silks found at the fabric market in Shanghai so those qualities very much dictate how each collection will look. I also find a lot of inspiration in old movies, books, and bands so each of my collections will usually reflect how I was feeling during that moment in time.
How Our Team Wears Chelsea Mak & Catbird
"I want women wearing Chelsea Mak to command a type of attention that you wouldn’t get from other brands, it’s more about feeling smart and interesting than sexy and showy.Women who wear Chelsea Mak are creative, well-read and in the know and that’s a lot of us!"
Airina wears the Gallery Blouse with a Dollhouse Locket slung on a Tinsel Chain paired with a Sweet Nothing Choker and a Snow Queen Ear Climber.
Mariela wears the Amalia Blouse with the Baby Pearl Supreme Hoops.
Necklaces: Magic Moonstone Collar, Silver Sweet Nothing Choker and the Sleeping Beauty Necklace in White Gold.Tatiana wears the Jaffe Top with a slew of Catbird Classics.
Earrings: Snow Queen Hoop, Heart Stud, Little Secret
Necklaces: Gumball Pearl Charm, 18th Century Bow Charm, Anemone Charm on a Sweet Nothing Choker.
Chelsea's Shopping Edit
Designer Spotlight: Elisa Solomon
We first met Elisa so many years ago that I have forgotten how many years ago it was. Her Ancienne Ring was one of the first really fancy pieces we carried; we've always loved how her work was tactile and really had the maker's hand in it. Me and Rony both wear Elisa signet rings on our pinkies, and I love that the new Puffy charms Elisa made for us also have the dimension, joy, and sheer beauty that we know and love from Elisa's jewelry!
xo Leigh
What is your first jewelry memory?
My first memory is with my mom. She loves jewelry and has always worn a unique mix of handmade, cool, fine designer jewelry. I also remember that I loved wearing her rings as a child (the ones that were her's as a little girl).
What does jewelry mean to you?
Jewelry is like a precious time capsule. Life is filled with moments that we hold dear. It is special to be able to honor those moments with a jewel. The jewel will always bring you back to a magnificent time in life.
What originally sparked your interest in jewelry design? And where did you learn the craft?
I am an artist. I loved drawing and painting and the idea of making something wearable when I was in elementary and high school. When it came down to it, I wasn't interested in clothing because I wanted to work with something that had more longevity. Fabric can wear out, bodies can change, trends can be fleeting. I wanted to make something timeless. When I started art school at the University of Michigan, by the first semester I knew my major would be Jewelry and Metalsmithing. I'm very proud of my formal training and also the things I taught myself after college like wax carving.
What piece do you most enjoy making?
I love all the Catbird exclusive pieces! I would say I love making the Viola's Treasure Signet Ring. I've made many and it's fun that we now offer a mini (the Henrietta) and a large (the Isabel) signet, too! It kicked off a really sweet, meaningful, classic grouping.
What are your favorite stones to work with?
Since I started my collection, I've loved working with Brazilian paraiba tourmaline. The electric blue hue is amazing. It has a psychedelic quality. I also love alexandrite because it changes hues based on light! The variety of blue to green to grey is unique
The Puffy Heart and Puffy Letter pieces are so special - can you tell us a little bit about the inspiration and process behind these designs?
I feel that my charms are special because I hand carve every piece in the collection. The letters have a roughness and a handmade quality that's special. The charms are inspired by my kids. People are looking for ways to carry loved ones close to their hearts and the charms are perfect for this purpose.
Your pieces are often centered around initials and meaningful letters; do you think of your work as heirlooms?
Yes, absolutely. It's always been important to me to work in precious materials so there is longevity in my collection. I also try to incorporate shapes and symbols that are universal and would appeal to a variety of ages and personalities while still sticking to my vision.
In my own life, my mom and I have already started a jewelry box for my daughter. It is such a beautiful thing passing a jewel down to a loved one. It makes me tear up even thinking about it! The thought that a matriarch can wear something, then her daughter, then her daughter, then her daughter, and on and on...it's absolutely amazing. What could be more magical? The fact that I've made the pieces in Layla's jewel box just brings a whole other level of excitement for me.
Shop Elisa Solomon
