Jewelry: More than Accessories

Jewelry is a significant part of our attributes. However, it is more important in some cultures, symbolizing and carrying different messages. For centuries, it was a symbol of femininity and social status. Therefore, it is not just an occasional essential accessory or a confidence booster but also a good investment. Moreover, it can have sentimental value.
Schiaparelli, for example, is known for its unique and surrealistic jewelry that has no other analog. Elsa Schiaparelli’s descendant, Maison Schiaparelli, cultivates his incredible heritage with the allurement and glory of the brand. However, Maison is not the only one who promotes their roots by creating astonishing jewel pieces.

Ami Doshi Shah is a jeweler and applied artist based in Nairobi, Kenya. She brings together her Kenyan childhood and Indian heritage in crafting her extraordinary jewelry label with natural minerals. Ami mentions the importance of using Zoa minerals – a green stone with a black reticulation in her jewel pieces, and says that “a Zoa site, is a byproduct of the Ruby mining industry.” Hence, in some of the pieces, a slight inflection of Ruby is clearly visible. Her brand takes non-precious and non-valued crafts and works with them, which in a way elevates significance of the product and its consideration.

In the interview with us, Ami tells us the story about the creation of her brand. “A lot of people know, my work through Instagram. And last year, as I wasn’t working actively on the creative process, a lot of wholesale kind of stocklists became interested in the product and the collections. Therefore, right now, my focus is not doing an E-commerce platform. I feel that for the brand, it is not the right direction, at the moment. I see it as more of a creative studio versus a commercial entity selling products online. I sell through online platforms like Industrie Africa, and some online venues.”