5 Gold Statement Jewelry Brands to Transform Your Fall Wardrobe
In want of hand sculpted jewelry inspired by the Fulani women of Northern Africa or the Akan tribe from Ivory Coast and Ghana? We’ve compiled our picks of the best gold statement jewelry brands to take your summer wardrobe into autumnal overdrive. Refresh your personal style this season with these tiny yet powerful gilded accessories.
ROKUS
Since 2013, ROKUS has built a cult following, including Loza Maléombho and Adebayo Oke-Lawal, from its founder Marie-Paule’s home studio in London. Our favorites are the varied Half Moon shaped earrings inspired by the techniques used by the Akan tribe from Ivory Coast and Ghana to create their traditional gold sculptures and imperial jewels. Every piece is individually made and finished by hand by her collective of generationally trained artisans in her birth country of Côte d’Ivoire. From earcuffs to anklets, each perfectly imperfect piece infuses ancient architectural forms with modern aesthetics to ensure you shine and sparkle like royalty.
L’Enchanteur
Brooklyn-born sisters Dynasty and Soull Ogun founded their concept brand L’Enchanteur in 2013, which means enchanted ones in French, drawing on the sciences, numerology, and religion amongst other disciplines to inform their creative approach. Kindred spirits in eclecticism, Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill have already certifiably co-signed these pieces that are more like collector’s items. L’Enchanteur is behind some of the most singular jewelry on the market, including finger caps, amulets, and medallions suited for tackling everyday myths and fairytales.
OHIRI
OHIRI Founder and Creative Director Akébéhi Kpolo attended a traditional Akan wedding ceremony in Abidjan as a child and discovered the symbolic ornaments used to adorn Akan chiefs. It was an early encounter that sparked a passion for historic craftsmanship from the region and led to her reinterpretation of those codes in her contemporary assortment of knee jewelry, nail rings, tie bars, and even bijoux for the mouth. With an arsenal of reference points from West African heritage, OHIRI translating to from the Bete (an ethnic group in central Ivory Coast) has a firm foundation to thrive as a culturally-relevant brand.
Khiry
23-year old designer Jameel Khiry Mohammed describes his brand KHIRY as “luxury goods for black power dressing.” In a rather short time, Mohammed has gotten the likes of Melodie Monrose, Janet Mock, Ava DuVernay, and Taraji P. Henson among others into his uber-minimal rings and necklaces. Using the finest of 18 karat gold vermeil, Mohammed desires to accentuate the art, beauty, and culture of the African diaspora through fine jewelry, such as an embellished Khartoum silhouette necklace or an elongated tear drop earring that culminates in a divine rose quartz stone.
Mateo
Jamaican-born Matthew Harris has a long tenure in jewelry design, selling his first million dollars of fashion baubles on HSN a near decade ago. With a transition into fine jewelry under his label Mateo New York, Harris’ minimalist aesthetic can be found on model-of-the-moment Anok Yai and most recently on Issa Rae for Rihanna’s apropos Diamond Ball. Each piece is made from 14 carat gold with a consistent use of diamonds and precious gemstones. Stumble into his shop in SoHo New York and leave with one of his darling personalized pendants.
Cover Image Courtesy of ROKUS for Orange Culture.