A bold salt and pepper diamond ring by Valerie Madison
The movement for racial justice triggered by the death of George Floyd in police custody continues to rock cities around the world, led by communities of color that have already borne the brunt of the coronavirus epidemic. But there are more valuable ways to show allyship than posting a black Instagram square; make one of these independent businesses your starting point, as six creatives share their experiences as Black jewelry designers right now.
The fine jewelry landscape is not crowded out with Black-owned businesses, but in industry circles, a few names command universal respect. Jacqueline Rabun, known for her beautifully minimalist jewelry, has her own successful brand of 30 years standing alongside a long-term relationship with Georg Jensen. Vania Leles is behind Vanleles, the first fine jewelry house in London’s Mayfair with African roots and ambitions to become a top-ten player. And Jamaica-born Matthew Harris of Mateo New York helms a contemporary jewelry brand stocked internationally.
“I've always considered Black fine jewelry designers to be unicorns,” says designer Valerie Madison. Fine jewelry is an expensive world in which to establish a business and minority jewelry entrepreneurs often have to work harder to secure financing and gain a foothold. “It is an honor to be in the position I am, but it is also a lonely place. I don’t see many black guys stepping into jewelry,” says Castro of Castro NYC.
Some independent Black jewelry businesses have seen a surge in interest in recent weeks, but with it comes a bittersweet awareness that customers have found them via articles like this one and heightened media coverage of racial injustice. “Of course I would like for Almasika to feature in the listings of top Black business owners,” says founder Catherine Sarr, “but I also feel these lists shouldn’t need to exist in the first place. Black business owners should already be present alongside other designers.”
Overall however, there is a feeling of confidence that the current groundswell of support will translate into a shift in public perception, leveling the path to business success. Here are six perspectives, and six businesses worthy of your support.
Colorful engagement rings by Valerie Madison
Valerie Madison: “I have not received anything but kindness from the industry, I just wish there were more people of color in it”
With an environmental science degree to her name, it’s no wonder that Valerie Madison’s fine jewelry draws beautifully on the natural world. With no prior connections in the industry, she has carved out a client base for her sophisticated pieces, handcrafted in Seattle using unusual stones and recycled precious metals. She’s grateful for the uptick in support from people deliberately seeking out Black businesses, but painfully aware that it comes at a high price. Madison is positive about the future, however: “I hope this is a long-term change, so that Black-owned businesses and communities can benefit from economic prosperity just as other communities have.”
The Falcon Crest pendant by Castro NYC, with antique porcelain, emeralds and diamonds.
Castro of Castro NYC: “Who wouldn’t want to be part of this history happening now?”
Castro’s one-of-a-kind pieces flow from a rich wellspring of inspiration that ranges from Medieval history, to antique Victoriana via the animal kingdom. Each one is designed and handcrafted with exceptional originality and they frequently include tiny-scale engineering and hidden cavities for secret gemstones. Now based in Istanbul, Castro left the U.S. in 2016, he says, “because of police violence, but I would love to be there right now helping in the struggle. This is not a time to sit it out.” While gathering in Istanbul is tricky due to coronavirus, at the time of writing he is helping to plan a protest, to lend a little more weight to the global movement against racial injustice. Day-to-day, it’s a challenge not to become consumed by the news from across the Atlantic, but he believes in the future: “Hope and resilience are what Americans and the rest of the world are hedging on right now.”
Gold and diamond cowrie shell pendant by Almasika.
Catherine Sarr of Almasika: "I hope Black designers will continue to shine beyond this social movement”
French jewelry designer Catherine Sarr has lived in Paris, London, Abu Dhabi and Chicago, gathering cultural influences along the way. Launched five years ago, Almasika is rooted in “the fusion of design and culture [producing] jewelry that embraces larger traditions spanning generations and uniting cultures.” The brand’s signature is the cowrie shell, a symbol of prosperity, spirituality and fertility elegantly reworked in 18kt gold and diamonds for a curious, cultivated modern woman. While Sarr’s clients have always made considered purchases, she believes that the events of recent months have triggered a generalized self-reflection and that moving forwards, “people will bring more thought and purpose into their purchases.”
Oona Empress gold earrings with pearls, by White Space.
Khadijah Fulton of White Space: “Despite the difficulty in the world, the vast majority of us are willing to take steps in the right direction”
White Space is all about graceful shapes, crafted from 14kt gold and conflict-free diamonds. Parsons graduate Khadijah Fulton honed her aesthetic working in fashion, but made a change of direction when she became a mother and now creates timeless jewelry, intended to provide the wearer with “an inherent sense of value”. Designed in Los Angeles, then made by local artisans, her jewelry is created to be lived in by a clientele of “fellow modern women.” Despite encountering “woefully few faces that look like mine” in the industry, she’s proud to be a Black entrepreneur right now: “supporting black business has a lasting effect on communities of color and our shared humanity.”
Signature 18k gold faceted rings by Melanie Eddy, starting at $2,014
Melanie Eddy: “Many people are understanding that the realities of racism are far closer and more insidious than they believed”
Melanie Eddy’s distinctive jewelry harnesses geometry to explore the interplay between form and the body, resulting in the sculptural pieces crafted in her Goldsmiths’ Centre studio in London. Her Bermudan upbringing instilled a respect for craftsmanship and she trained as a jeweler in her home country, before moving to London to deepen her knowledge. She has since travelled to Afghanistan and India with NGOs working with jewelry artisans and frequently teaches different aspects of her trade. “Many jewelers from minority background find the industry isolating. One of the blessings to come out of this time of sadness and anger has been increased connections across diverse backgrounds,” she says, referencing the visibility for black designers extended by industry figures with large followings. A knock-on effect of which, is that “future talents can see exemplars they can identify with, championed.”
The Isis pearl, diamond and yellow gold ring by Diaboli Kill
Angie Marei of Diaboli Kill: “People of all colors are coming together in the fight against racism in much larger groups than ever before”
After a career in luxury advertising, Angie Marei was motivated by the desire to create something tangible and re-trained as a fine jeweler. “Too often the fashion industry requires you to tick off a specific category. As a Black, Latina and Arab designer, I don’t fit into their narratives.” With Egyptian and Dominican heritage, she creates boldly distinctive jewelry inspired by her diverse cultural background that have been seen on Beyoncé, Rihanna and Ava DuVernay. Whether the provocative spikes of a tusk ring, or a classic fire-and-ice diamond wedding band fused with the danger of the serpent motif, her pieces celebrate individuality and ooze sensuality. “For too long, Black creatives have been under-represented in the creative industries," says Marei. "I hope this movement will open up more opportunity, there is so much amazing talent to be discovered.”
