Look Book

25 www.thejewelrybook.com Evolution of Imperfection Julez Bryant DeCosta's design sensibility has been so fi nely honed that it's ready to evolve. Her soft, organic-looking, sometimes hand-etched matte-fi nished pieces reveal a rug- ged signature that is 17 years in the making and an elevated and effortless quasi Boho-chic look often made in rose gold. But after all this time fi ne-tuning the imperfect beauty of her line, Bryant, like many women, is shifting gears to open up her repertoire to broader stylistic directions, all evident in her new Indi collection. "Just as women are self-curating their looks, so can artists with mixed materials and fi nishes," she explains. "Neither female self-purchasers nor designers need to stay in a 'box.'" While Indi refl ects Bryant's earthy aesthetic, it also incorporates unexpected details like high-polish edges, colored stones, and mixes of rose and yellow gold. For sure, many Indi jewels are one-of-a-kind, but they are made to layer with existing Bryant styles and to wear every day. "Women want to feel 'dressed' but in a casual way," she notes. Expect to see turquoise (especially trillion cuts), engraved elements, and Native-American-inspired features like arrows and sunbursts. "My grandfather was a farmer in Oregon and used to fi nd arrowheads on his property," she explains of the infl uences. Her Ghostrider pendant—a massive skull set with colored sapphires and diamonds that took the People's Choice award at the 2018 Couture Design Awards—launched the Indi line, and a funky robot counterpart joined the fun fold in 2019. Indi was so popular at this year's Couture jewelry show that pieces sold out. The upside? More are en route. "Women are not waiting to buy pieces with value, and they are spending more, more comfortably," she says. "Why wait? We're here, we're powerful, and we're alive." The last mention is especially signifi cant for the designer, who has survived three bouts of cancer, four cancer-related surgeries, and a double mastec- tomy. As if this wasn't hard enough, her mother died last year. Still, her enthusiasm stuns. "I'm so grateful for where design is today," she says. "Fear is your only roadblock to success." "Just as women are self-curating their looks, so can artists with mixed materials and fi nishes," she explains. "Neither female self-purchasers nor designers need to stay in a 'box.'" While Indi refl ects Bryant's earthy aesthetic, it also incorporates unexpected details like high-polish edges, colored stones, and mixes of rose and yellow gold. For sure, many Indi jewels are one-of-a-kind, but they are made to layer with existing Bryant styles and to wear every day. "Women want to feel 'dressed' but in a casual way," she notes. Expect to see turquoise (especially trillion cuts), engraved elements, and Native-American-inspired features like arrows and sunbursts. "My grandfather was a farmer in Oregon and used to fi nd arrowheads on his property," she explains of the infl uences. Her Ghostrider pendant—a massive skull set with colored sapphires and diamonds that took the People's Choice award at the 2018 Couture Design Awards—launched the Indi line, and a funky robot counterpart joined the fun fold in 2019. Indi was so popular at this year's Couture jewelry show "Women are not waiting to buy pieces with value, and they are spending more, more comfortably," she says. "Why wait? We're here, we're powerful, and we're alive."

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