One of the things I loved about spending a week staying in the Meatpacking district in New York City was that there were tons of great shops just a stone’s throw from my hotel. Many, of course, are national chains, but others are quaint shops that I was so pleased to discover. One of my favorites was Anna Inspiring Jewellry, which my client and I were’t familiar with. Now, we’re both big fans. Here’s a photo from their website which will give you a feel for the line.
The jewelry has a very light, delicate feel — most of their pieces are perfect for layering. My client fell in love with these rose gold earrings, which have a pave diamond ball with a long chain that hangs from the back of your ear. Since she recently got a second piercing, she paired it with the same pave ball in a stud.
Also at the top of her lust list was this diamond circle ring. With her petite frame, it was the perfect accent — bold, but not overwhelming at all.
There were tons of different bracelets. Click here for the link to see the choices. There’s quite a few with charms with inspiring words. They definitely would make special gifts for people on your list. (Perfect way to get a jump start on your holiday shopping!)
The delightful owner and designer, Anna, was fortunately in the store on both our visits. She was visiting from Vienna, where they are based. (There’s also a third store in Munich, Germany.) While my client was busy trying on things, I couldn’t resist trying on this double-fingered diamond ring myself. It’s incredibly comfortable, and it doesn’t restrict your finger movement whatsoever.
I thought the line was exceptionally well-priced, especially given the cost of gold these days. I’m so glad that we discovered this store, and we’ll be sure to come back next trip.
I arrived at the Couture jewelry show a couple days before it started, as I wanted some time to relax in Vegas. (OK…actually time to shop, who am I trying to kid?!) While lounging by the pool one morning, I saw a very stylish woman in an aqua bikini gracefully walking into the pool. The next night, at Couture’s poolside opening party (Taio Cruz!), I found myself sitting next to that same glamorous woman. Coincidence? I think not. I’m confident that we were supposed to meet.
Come to find out that she is Efva Attling, an amazing jeweler from Stockholm, Sweden.
Efva and Amy
We sat for quite some time in her salon, as she told me a bit about her life and how she came to be the woman and designer she is today. Her history includes being an uber-famous model (she was even on the cover of Elle at age 50!), headlining a gold-record band back in the 80’s, and hosting a talk show, just to touch the tip of the iceberg. Regardless of her fame, she is extremely open and down to earth. She exudes a positive energy that just draws you to her. I think this energy translates to the jewelry she designs.
Known for her silver work, her tag line is “beauty with a thought,” as she desires to connect with people with “short songs,” as she calls them. While she can’t put an entire song’s lyrics on her pieces, she instead carefully selects words to get to the heart of the matter and connect with wearer. I love the words embedded in this necklace, don’t you?! It’s a rod of rock crystal with silver.
This necklace says it all!
Here’s a very clever necklace, that has a heart tucked inside. When she gave one as a gift to Angelina Jolie, she had the names of her children inscribed on the heart. Precious.
The inscription says "think of me" in 14th century French
And this unique cuff bracelet has a fingerprint on it — do you see it? Believe it or not, it’s the fingerprint of her mother, which she captured before she passed away. Truly, all her jewelry has a heart.
A cuff with meaning
Her fine jewelry is also quite amazing. Here she is wearing one of her signature necklaces. All I can say is, “Wow!”
Stunning!
While we were talking, she told me the story of a very good friend of hers. She had tried for years to have a child, and was finally blessed with a son. This precious gift was then taken from her in the tsunami in 2004. In her grief for her friend’s loss, she designed a special angel necklace. This “Angels” necklace, in cooperation with the Red Cross, has now raised over a million dollars for the tsunami victims. I think this story clearly demonstrates the type of woman Efva is.
For those of you stateside who can’t quite swing jewelry shopping in Sweden, don’t despair! In addition to her online shop, she also recently opened a boutique in the fabulous meatpacking district in New York City. Personally, I can’t wait to check it out on my next trip to the Big Apple!
