A Bejeweled Virtuoso
“Take a look around and see what inspires you,” the jewelry designer Sonia Boyajian says with a smile as she leaves me alone for a moment in her Hollywood studio during a recent morning visit.
One look around the room, it’s hard to know where to start. It’s the Little Mermaid’s treasure trove come to life: a cozy space in which glittering baubles literally hang from the rafters, cabinets, drawers and table tops. Bracelets are nestled between gumballs and marbles. Swatches of lace peek from pastel-colored boxes. When Boyajian returns with a silver tray of cappuccino and chocolate, I’m still taking it all in.
TIMELESS TRINKETS: A few strands from Boyajian's collection
LABOR OF LOVE: A look at Boyajian's design headquarters
“Statement jewelry”—those oversized, sometimes abominable, you will pay attention to what I’m wearing now sort of pieces have grown stale in recent seasons. I’m not sure who we have to thank for that. But Boyajian’s statement pieces remain fresh, their elegance timeless yet avant garde enough for boutiques like Ikram in Chicago and Sonia Eram’s Mameg, which shares space in Beverly Hills with Maison Martin Margiela.
For spring, Boyajian has crafted a series of ceramic pendant necklaces, bracelets and earrings inspired by the tessellations of graphic artist M.C. Escher. “The pieces all fit together,” she points out, and indeed, the patterned fish and birds that dangle from multistrand necklaces are parts of an interlocking whole. Though she makes it all look effortless, Boyajian’s jewelry line is the result of a sustained journey that took her around the world and back again.
PIECED TOGETHER: Boyajian's spring creations pay homage to M.C. Escher
Upon graduating from Otis College of Art and Design as a fashion major, the designer packed up and moved to Belgium. It was in Antwerp that her love affair with jewelry began. An apprenticeship under jewelry designer Pascal Masselis eventually led to a partnership with Bernhard Willhelm, for which Boyajian created jewelry for the runway. By 2003, she had officially launched her line overseas, selling in boutiques across Europe.
Now back in Los Angeles, Boyajian can finally focus more on her extended family and five-month-old son. Yet her lavish output hasn’t let up; rather, Boyajian’s line continues to expand. In addition to Mameg and the agenda-setting Ikram, her line can now be found at Susan in San Francisco, Gago in Aix en Provence, Louis in Antwerp, and HP France in Tokyo.
Before I know it, it’s long past time to go. I drain my cappuccino and take one last look around the studio, trying to internalize every detail: the Escher-esque interlocking bird necklaces, the teardrop rhinestone gems, the delicate wire rings and hair pins twisted into floral shapes. It’s impossible to take it all in – and all the more inspiring for it.
Jeremy Allen received his "real world" education through internships at Vogue, WWD and DNR, where he interned in both the editorial and fashion departments. When not contributing to Style Section L.A. or Pool Tradeshow Magazine, Jeremy loves traipsing around L.A. with his clunky Vivitar film camera.
