Lady LUX

No stranger to the jewelry industry, Karen London has recently fulfilled her long-time dream of launching a namesake collection this past Spring. Over the last 25 years, London has made her mark in the industry as a leading curator of fine jewelry by painstakingly collecting unique pieces from around the world to satisfy an elite group of high-end clients. Working with the finest metals, stones, gold and diamonds, she naturally began collaborating with international designers, creating pieces along way.

“I am a self-taught jewelry designer and business woman. I built my company from the ground up over 20 years ago through hard work, dedication and a true passion for introducing stunning, unique jewelry to women everywhere,” London shared.

After a little dabbling in design, she felt the need to develop a brand of her own that she could conceive from beginning to end and that would fully express her ideas. Her new company, Karen London Designs, has already caught the attention of Hollywood A-listers including Miley Cyrus, Juliette Lewis, Demi Lovato, Jenna Elfman, Marisol Nichols and Laura Prepon.

“This is very exciting for me! It's a long-time dream of mine finally coming to fruition and I couldn't be any more thrilled by the response in such a short time,” the designer said.

Aiming to create pieces that are new to the market, London found inspiration from raw and organic elements in the environment, specifically wood and horn. With a mix of metal hues, 14k gold is combined with brass, copper or rose gold plating, and contradicted with ebony wood and rosewood. The collection is a marriage of earthy bohemian vibes with a rocker chic attitude, contrasting edgy and soft. Signature ebony wood ball pendants are studded with copper; spear-shaped pieces are accented with brass; rosewood bangles are cut in abstract shapes and embellished; and pewter square cut rings are hammered and etched.

The second Karen London collection was recently released for Fall 2012, and showcases a stunning extension of the signature pieces from the first season. London incorporated an extraordinary variety of silhouettes, including bold draped chains, prominent metal collars and chunky studded bangles juxtaposed with simple stackable rings. For everyday staples, the collection included textured hoops and wooden pendants.

London designs each artful piece in Los Angeles but looks to the unsurpassed craftsmanship of Bali and Thailand to handcraft each individual necklace, ring, bracelet and pair of earrings. Each stud is hand-pressed into the wood, one by one.

“I have always found that the most beautiful jewelry making artisans are in Bali and Thailand. They pay such close attention to detail that we always get a beautiful result. We are truly fortunate producing our jewelry in Bali,” London explained. “We have wonderful artisans that take great care and make beautiful work for us. There is something just so impinging about the quality of their work. It really makes our brand stand out, in my opinion.”

London is already looking ahead to Spring/Summer 2013, and hopes to create her most intricate collection yet.

“There are so many new layering pieces, expansion on our best-selling styles and more statement pieces. What is most exciting is that we started cross-mixing the wood, studding, cut out brass and square brass weaves into our designs, so it's a much more cohesive collection while remaining cutting edge. When you see some of the new designs, it's hard not to say ‘That's Karen London!’” she shared.

LUX Giveaway

One lucky winner will receive this “On a Roll Medium Ball Necklace” ($55 value) in brass or copper studs. This 36’’ necklace features a medium studded ebony wood ball pendant on a plated brass chain.

Here’s how to enter:

1) Like LadyLUX on Facebook Here. (If you aren’t already)
2) Enter your email to sign up for LadyLUX newsletter at the top right of the page.
3) Leave a comment with contact info Here.

Good luck!

Tagged in: lux exclusives, jewelry, bracelets, rings, necklaces, los angeles, bohemian, jewelry designer, fall 2012 collection, spring 2012 collection, karen london,

Fashion / Features