Twelve Women Handbag and Accessory Artisans to know about during Women’s International Month.
Read MoreCelebrating Women Artisan Jewelry Designers for International Women's Month
With March nominated as the month to celebrate women and their achievements (yes I know shouldn’t it be half the year at least, women are Half the Sky) The Local Artisan Guide has decided every week this month to highlight some women artisans in different categories starting with jewelry designers from around the world that you might not know about but are worth knowing.
We chose ten women jewelry designers who work in a range from a new twist on the traditional to contemporary to spiritual to cultural pride. There is a plethora of raw materials, stones, crystals, metals, price points and traditions explored by all these jewelers. The spectacular talent these female artisans have in their art form and imagination when it comes to jewelry is worth highlighting in a category where most of the product is worn by women. More so as many of the jewelers below also explore ways to make their work sustainable, ethical and give back to their communities.
Polly Wales
Polly Wales
Encrusted skull with purple, blue, and black sapphires and brown diamonds on a large face skull.
Kindly Note: Each piece is unique, one-of-a-kind and unpredictable -- the product of a specialized manufacturing process that we've developed over many years. It is the heart and soul of the Cast-Not-Set process and the Polly Wales style. Stone colors may vary slightly. Metal: 18K Yellow Gold, Stones: Sapphires & Diamonds.
Polly Wales is the Creative Director and Founder of her eponymous brand of fine jewelry. Polly was born in London and gravitated towards the arts from a very young age. She studied sculpture in University and later taught art to juvenile offenders. However, she discovered her real passion when she began to design jewelry, making intimate wearable sculptures. She went back to school to study Jewelry Design at the Royal College of Art, where her naturally anarchic spirit combined with classical training to inspire the creation her signature “cast-not-set” process.
Casting gemstones directly into molten gold has enabled her to push the boundaries of traditional fine jewelry and produce unique collections year after year. In 2016, Polly moved the company from the rolling hills of the English countryside to the sunny grit of Downtown Los Angeles where the company is now based. She currently lives in a treasure trove of curiosities in the hills of East Los Angeles
Anna Sheffield
Anna Sheffield
14k Gold & Blackened Rutilated Quartz, $2,850
8mm blackened rutilated quartz center with 0.03ctw small black diamond accents set in 14k recycled yellow, rose, or white gold.
Please note that gemstones are natural materials and therefore each stone is unique. The Hazeline is a cornerstone of the Anna Sheffield ceremonial jewelry collection. A classic style with a delicate silhouette, this timeless design is based on a ring belonging to Anna’s grandmother. Envisioned here in a solitaire style with the same detailed basket and slender shank, the Hazeline is the perfect ‘heirloom-to-be.
Anna Sheffield’s childhood in the Southwest has had an enduring influence on her work, setting the stage for a lifelong interest in natural beauty, spirituality, and all forms of art and design—from architecture to indigenous crafts. These diverse interests led her to pursue a degree in sculpture. After moving to New York City, Anna shifted her attention to jewelry, drawing upon her Fine Art fundamentals to create a singular style—elegant, irreverent, and truly original.
Claudia Desideri - Desideri Designs
Claudia Desideri
Inspired by Classical jewelry Crown hook earrings are a true beauty. All Swarovski crystal beads are individually hand-stitched. Try pairing with our crown studs for an edgier look . Material Finishing. Emerald green and Metallic rose gold Swarovski crystals beads. 14K gold filled , 4 cm long.
Desideri design is NYC based jewelry brand founded by Roman born Claudia Desideri. Since her early age, she’s always been interested in Art and Drama and had an affinity for artistic design. After graduating at the Istituto Nazionale D'arte in Rome she moved to New York, where she attended the Lee Strasberg film and theatre institute. Her passionate creativity and love for Art and Nature finally converge in 2004, when she founded Desideri Design. Since then, she has been creating luxurious, classy but still wearable pieces of jewelry which combine both “hard” and “soft” elements, organic and futuristic materials, geometrical Minimalism and sparkling Baroque. Her collection of rings, necklaces and earrings are all unique pieces made using Swarovski crystals, natural stones and fresh water pearls.
Judith Haas
Judith Haas
Fine Silver (.99) partially oxidized, with 24k gold leaf pendant. 15 inch fine gold filled chain with 2.5 inch extension chain ( 17.5 inch total) Ask for costume made length. Pendant is 2x1 1/4 inch. One of a kind
Dutch artist Judith Haas creates jewelry and fine art using gold, silver, bronze and semi precious stones. Her work is characterized by finely crafted textures and unfinished surfaces in contrast with colorful patinas that reflect her passion for art and design history and the industrial environment surrounding her Williamsburg Brooklyn studio.
Ms. Haas received a Masters degree in Physiology from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU). She has devoted herself to her art career since 2003 and has exhibited at galleries and boutiques widely including Harvey Nichols Hong Kong, Hankyu, Tokyo.
Yanina Faour - Oleana Jewelry
Yanina Faour
Citric Sun Mandala Pendant $218.80
In sterling silver, with yellow gold plating, enamel and crystals. Representing the union between the sacred and the earthly world, mandalas are deeply meditative symbols that harmonize chakras and have a positive effect on those who wear them.
Oleana jewelry is handcrafted in Buenos Aires and designed by Yanina Faour, fourth generation of jewelers, inspired in the architecture and fine arts that identify the magic of her hometown, Buenos Aires.
Yanina Faour launched her own brand, Oleana in 2003, combining the high quality craftsmanship of her ancestors with a fresh and modern aesthetic. What sets Oleana apart its is fine jewelry collections in silver and 18K gold, with influences ranging from architecture to spirituality, to be worn at different times of the day. Ind addition to being a young businesswoman and mother, Yanina is a mentor and has an affinity and interest in the development of the female entrepreneur at all levels. She herself is a fellow of the Vital Voices Organization and the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women In Business program.
Marielise Lachapelle
Marielise Lachapelle
Malachite Necklace. This necklace featuring a malachite stone, is quite versatile as those three genuine rose leaves coated in gold, are designed to slide through the center of the stone so you can adjust the length. The stone is approximately 2” long but the shape will vary slightly with each piece. Many other stones available. Price upon request.
New York based artist Marie-Lise Lachapelle grew up in the green suburbs of Montreal. Her love of nature, fashion, and the influence of her entrepreneurial parents have culminated into a successful career designing stunning jewelry. She creates custom high impact jewelry and a variety of collections using organic elements and shapes. Her unique combinations of flowers, precious metals, and stones, have garnered her international attention and is a favorite for editorials, celebrities and fans of her jewelry around the world
Jane D’Arensbourg
Jane D’Arensbourg
Jet black glass bubble, sculptural bib necklace. This is a big show stopping unique statement necklace. One of a kind. Chain length 24” x 3/8”. Sculptural bubble bib size 7”x6”. Sterling silver clasp.
Brooklyn based designer Jane D'Arensbourg began working with glass early in her career as an artist and became greatly inspired by the unique properties of the medium, particularly as a vehicle to capture light, energy and fragility. .Jane D’Arensbourg launched her glass jewelry designs in 2002 in New York City.
In her studio, D’Arensbourg's process starts with raw, durable, borosilicate glass rods that are transformed with a torch free form. Using heat and gravity to shape the glass, the designer handcrafts one-of-a-kind sculptural jewelry. With each piece, D'Arensbourg honors the fragility and inherent elegance of the material, creating timeless and unique jewelry. Borosilicate glass is one of the most shock resistant glass available which results in it being a surprisingly wearable material. Jane D’Arensbourg views her jewelry as functional art. A ring can function as a sculptural object sitting in your home waiting to be worn and experienced in another way.
Jane D'Arensbourg has exhibited her artwork and jewelry in museums and galleries internationally. Her work can be found in esteemed stock lists from New York to Japan as well as in the permanent collection of The Museum of Art Design, New York.
Ilenia Corti Vernissage
Ilenia Corti
Blue Imperial Moth Necklace $1,920
Sleek, sculptural and dynamic, this deftly crafted necklace has a bold, modern aesthetic that will complement a modern and casual outfit. Handcrafted of 925 silver, it has a distinctive princess neckline composed entirely of realistic imperial moth charms of varying dimensions. The moth's slender wings are finished with a midnight-blue enamel, creating a smooth, elegant texture that resembles that of stones. This exceptional necklace will elevate the style and allure of any ensemble and modern jewelry collection. Lobster claw clasp. Available also in brass upon request.
Ilenia Corti grew up in a family of jewelers and worked as a fashion accessories designer for high luxury companies all over the world. She created Vernissage inspired by the world of nature, and the tension between the childlike awe we feel in front of its small and enchanting phenomena and the pragmatism of the adult world. The uniqueness and strong creative identity of her work has earned the enthusiastic response of authoritative magazines. Each piece is handmade by the expert craftsmen of the Santagostino company, leader in this field and owned by the Corti family.
Sewit Sium
Sewit Sium
The snake is symbol of transformation and renewal, as it has the ability to shed its own skin when it outgrows it. For thousands of years, the snake has been utilized as a symbol of transformation and renewal, as it has the ability to shed its own skin when it outgrows it. 18K gold plated brass. Snake is 3/16" (4mm) wide. Cuff is adjustable. Availability: Handmade to order in New York.
Jeweler and educator Sewit Sium has been crafting powerful jewelry imbued with living African history for over a decade. Prior to starting her company in 2015 of the same name, she taught Fashion Activism and Design in various NYC High schools. “I used jewelry - the oldest form of decorative arts as an educational tool, as primary document to teach predominantly Black students about their living African lineage, the world and their place in it. The goal is that they view their creations as well as their bodies as sites of knowledge transmission. I want them to internalize that their creations will outlast them, to see themselves as leaders and agents of change who can transform the world of image making authority.”
Sewit’s mission and approach extends to her design practice that she hopes will be adopted by institutions such as the fashion industry, museums and design colleges alike. “it’s important for me to get as indigenous and specific as possible via symbols and motifs, I know the optimal power of jewelry is unlocked when attached to its origin story and makers - to bodies.” Sewit's goal is to create initiatives that serve the reclamation and activation of indigenous objects. “Jewelry is a point of departure, but this is about people and ideas and those who lay claim should get to decide how their culture is accurately interpreted and shared.” Sewit is dedicated to decolonizing the way jewelry is engaged with, “together we can restore it to its rightful place - as documentation, a stunning object of desire and daring catalyst for change”.
Sewit completed her MA at NYU Tisch, where her thesis was entitled Activation: Jewelry and the Body, Sites and Tools for Liberation.
Sewit's jewelry has been featured in Elle, Vogue, Bazaar, Town & Country, Vanity Fair Magazines. She created various costume design pieces for HBO Insecure as well as feature films such as Coming 2 America.
Mia Hebib - Oblik Atelier
OBLIK ATELIER MOBIUS EARRINGS $200
Mobius Earrings, brass plated in 14k gold
Mia Hebib started in jewelry at the School for Applied Arts and Design in Zagreb, Croatia. Upon resettling in the United States, she attended the Savannah College of Art and Design where she received a BFA in jewelry and metalsmithing. Besides running Oblik Atelier, Mia has been instrumental in re-launching Robert Lee Morris collection as well as launching multiple high- profile fashion brands like AllSaints and Coach wholesale line. Mia has also mentored at PRATT Institute, 92nd Street Y and SCAD.
Mia creates conversation pieces and her mission is to elevate jewelry from simply existing as an accessory to becoming a wearable sculpture, an objet d'art.
Mia's studio "Oblik" means "shape/form" in Croatian and the name is echoed in each created piece. Oblik Atelier is on a quest to define the most elegant and clean line and thrust that line through a three-dimensional metamorphosis.
Oblik Atelier jewelry marries traditional metalsmithing techniques to timeless designs via fold forming, fabricating and forging techniques. Each piece is hand bend to conform to the body. Surfaces are smooth, architectural, sculptural, sinuous, voluptuous and polished. Jewelry is made in brass and finished with gold or rhodium plating.
All the above mentioned women jewelers come from around the world yet all find a way to uniquely express their vision of jewelry thus creating wearable art. Women creating for other women, a wearable badge of how a woman can express their aesthetic to the rest of the world through the media of metals and precious stones.
The Local Artisan Guide will feature a blog every week for the month of March on a different category celebrating women artisans and highlighting their contributions to the world.
By Natalie Rivera
Artisanal Toy Shops in NYC
Let’s face it, Christmas and the holidays are for the kids. Your child or the children of your friends and relatives may have been giving hints to you and Santa all year on what they want for Christmas however I am willing to bet there is a lot of plastic and commercialism in the toys that they desire. It is up to you as an adult of taste, style and global knowledge to help expose the children in your life to quality, artisanal toys that feed their imagination, educate and give back to the world.
The Local Artisan Guide has a few toy stores that are near and dear to our hearts and bring out the inner child in us. When an adult loves exploring a toy store, you know you have found someplace special to share with the kiddos.
Below are a few toy stores in New York City that not only make excellent holiday gift giving for children but are a great place to bring them to let them explore on their own and see how amazing an artisan toy can be which helps foster a socially conscious and more evolved child.
PLAYING MANTIS - 32 N Moore St., Tribeca, NYC
Playing Mantis is one of those rare throwback toy stores that keep the plastic to a minimum. The shop is full of handcrafted toys made from wood and recycled materials to help inspire kids imagination sans batteries. The back of the store has mini costumes of characters you would find in storybooks and there is a carefully curated library of stories from cultures around the world. Its one of the most eco-friendly toy shops around and will help inspire any child’s imagination.
TEICH TOYS & BOOKS - 573 Hudson St., West Village, NYC
As you enter the vintage circus store theme, Teich Toys & Books offers children a wide selection of classic and hand-crafted toys and books to inspire and engage their minds. There is lack of plastic and noisy gadgets at Teich replaced by hard to find children’s books with occasional live puppet shows and regular story times.
KIDDING AROUND - 60 West 15th St., Chelsea, NYC
Kidding Around is a renowned children’s store that has a reputation of one of the best Indie toy stores in New York City. They offer an array of eclectic toys, dolls, and games chosen for their capacity to inspire creativity. The shelves are lined with starter chess sets, science kits, and board games. A plus is the friendly, knowledgeable staff that can help guide you to the perfect gift.
DINOSAUR HILL - 306 East 9th St., East Village, NYC
Dinosaur Hill is committed to purveying handmade wonderments, toys and clothes that challenge the mind, please the eye, and stimulate the senses. The store is a colorful explosion of toys, reeking of old-school charm and focusing more on character than commercialism with its beautifully made toys meant to last. Their artisanal puppets from around the world are a special attraction at the shop.
MINI JAKE - 178 North 9th St., Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NYC
Mini Jake is a modern children's and baby's store, featuring furniture, toys, strollers, clothes, sleepwear, cribs, bedding, diaper bags, mattresses, bassinets and much more. The store is a big draw for the hipster parent that values modern, educational safe, sophisticated and educational toys that the kids will love.
NORMAN & JULES - 158 7th Ave, Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY 11215
This colorful, neat thoughtfully laid out toy store displays a carefully edited collection of well made, beautifully designed, and thoughtful items – while remaining environmentally and socially conscious. Norman & Jules is for the parent who wants to help foster their child’s love of organic, environmentally friendly and sustainable toys.
FAO SCHWARZ - 30 Rockefeller Plaza, Midtown, NYC
It wouldn’t be a New York City toy shopping guide without the toy store giant FAO Schwarz. Established in 1862, this New York institution just recently reopened their flagship store in Rockefeller Center where it is continuing their tradition of being the world’s most iconic toy store. FAO Schwarz offers a larger than life offering of every type of toy, game, dolls, cars, educational toys and more. It is definitely worth it for the experience (however the multitude of tourists is a little off putting).
These are our top recommendations and are great destinations if you want to raise or expose a child to a more socially conscious, evolved, eco-friendly and sustainable childhood.
By Natalie Rivera