We are thrilled to be participating in New York City Jewelry Week! For those of you who don’t know much about it,

New York City Jewelry Week is the first and only local week dedicated to promoting and celebrating the world of jewelry through educational and innovative focused programming.

The inaugural NYCJW welcomed 10,000 arts and culture enthusiasts who explored the multifaceted jewelry industry through ground-breaking exhibitions, panel discussions led by industry experts, exclusive workshop visits, heritage-house tours, innovative retail collaborations, and other unforgettable one-of-a-kind programming created by the best and brightest in the industry.

In anticipation of NYCJW, I sat down and answered a few questions from the initial inspiration behind the jewelry to where we are headed next!

I know you have wanted to launch a jewelry collection for a long time. Can you talk about why you have always been so inspired by jewelry?

I have been designing passementerie for Samuel and Sons for almost thirteen years. I have loved working this way and always considered it “jewelry for the home.” While creating for this category, I often said that it would be wonderful to take these ideas and textile traditions to create jewelry and accessories for people.

When working on new designs for the jewelry, what do you and your team look to most?

We want to be unique to an already oversaturated market, we want to always remember our roots as textile designers in what we create, and it is very important for us to continue our collaborations with a collective of Indian artisans we have worked with for so many years for our fabrics, wallcoverings and trims.

The hand-beading process of creating our Penelope Bracelet

All of the Lori Weitzner Jewelry designs are made using traditional textile techniques, such as embroidery, beading, etc. Can you talk about the “textile-infused” nature of the collection?

Since textile design is my background, it was important to keep that element infused into all of the pieces. And so using traditional methods and combining them with modern design aesthetics is one of my favorite things to do!

Everything you have designed over the years has a very specific feeling to it – wallpaper, fabrics, packaging, rugs, cards – how do you see these designs all living together in one space or for one client?

Everything I have done is driven by these color worlds that I have always been conscious of as part of my life. I write about them in my book, Ode to Color. They are worlds that are about much more than just color, they are about mood and memory and emotion. Whether these colors fill an interior or interior product, or one is wearing them, they have a strong impact on how one feels. So even though the products might be varied, the process and intention are always the same.

For people who don’t know the idea behind the Ode to Color color-worlds, can you talk a bit on them?

In my book, Ode to Color, I bring you into ten worlds of color and what they mean and how to use them in your world. I went so far as to create a color test that is very easy to take that gives you an analysis of what color world or worlds might be most appropriate for you to use in a space for the main purpose of wellbeing. I like to refer to it as LIVING WELL WITH COLOR. They are not necessarily what you like or already use, but more to the point of what you might need. Color as a tool.

You can take the Ode to Color analysis test yourself here!

What are you most excited about for the future of the jewelry line?

To grow it! It has now been birthed but it needs to be nurtured, fed, and supported. I’m really excited to see where this project grows and morphs as we continue!

We are hosting a Lori Weitzner Jewelry Trunk Show, as part of NYCJW. Please stop by and say hello and browse this passion project:

Location:

Jonathan Alder

304 Columbus Ave

New York, NY 10023

Hours:

November 22nd: 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm

November 23rd: 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm

November 24th: 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Addendum

I had the best time recording Experience A Day in The Life podcast! Stay tuned for the episode soon!