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| Acrylic Hologram Necklace with Candy Coated Chain |
Located at the foot of the Zagros mountiain range in Iran, visitors can explore the Tomb of the Kings and the Gate of All Nations. Iran is also the ancestral home of featured jewelry designer Melody Ehsani.
A native of Los
Angeles, California Ehsani is a jewelry designer possessing imagination and
unflinching nerve as she chose a career path that went against family
tradition.
Her choice was not steeped in youthful rebellion but a sincere desire to hearken to the prodding of her soul.
Her choice was not steeped in youthful rebellion but a sincere desire to hearken to the prodding of her soul.
“I had applied to go
off to law school like many of my cousins and friends but I knew this was not
for me. I decided to break with my culture and follow my heart into a
field I was internally drawn to . . . design.
The more I designed the more it felt like the right thing for me to be doing. I guess you could say that design is part of my divine blue print.”
The more I designed the more it felt like the right thing for me to be doing. I guess you could say that design is part of my divine blue print.”
Ehsani’s four-year-old
fashion jewelry brand, Melody Ehsani, cultivated from laser cut
acrylic, Swarovski Crystals and gold plating presents a bold, lively
aesthetic.
Shapes are sizable and largely geometric in the form of upside down pyramids, giant hoops, tribal fans, guns and wild cats. Even her floral-inspired orchid designs are cloaked within this substantial flair.
When I was gathering
research material for Ehsani I kept seeing the term “hip hop” in relation to
her jewelry creations. These statement pieces lend themselves perfectly
to the larger-than-life personas and flava of Nicki Minaj and Rihanna who are
also fans of Ehsani’s line.
Shapes are sizable and largely geometric in the form of upside down pyramids, giant hoops, tribal fans, guns and wild cats. Even her floral-inspired orchid designs are cloaked within this substantial flair.
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| Acrylic and Swarovski Crystal Stacking Rings |
Creatively speaking,
however, there is more going on in the collection of hoop earrings, cuff
bracelets, and stacking rings than may be initially apparent.
Her aesthetic is informed by the ancient and modern; urban as well as urbane. There are styles influenced by the Maasai tribes of Africa, sleek Art Deco outlines and pre-Columbian influences.
“Hip hop was an
inspiration in my first couple collections,” recalls Ehsani, “Hip hop is such
an extension of my upbringing that it was inevitable for any of the pieces that
I made to not contain some of its influence.
Ultimately my style is inspired by paradox, controversy; justice and pushing the envelope in showing that you can’t judge a book by its cover.”
Ultimately my style is inspired by paradox, controversy; justice and pushing the envelope in showing that you can’t judge a book by its cover.”
Despite goose pimple
inducing collaborations with Erykah Badu, red carpet shout-outs from Alicia
Keys, as well as seeing her designs worn by the likes of Ciara and Keri Hilton,
Ehsani is admirably grounded.
“I love my celebrity
clientele and appreciate the fact they see me but it’s not how I measure
success. I design to upset the equilibrium. I design to
inspire. I design to serve.
Inspiration is ever
advancing. To me it is listening to the direction in which your soul is trying
to guide you. I saw nobility in design and in turn finally saw nobility in
myself and my gifts.”
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| Multi-Layer Acrylic Milky Way Hoop Earrings with Nautical Rope Etch |
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