Loren Hope's Designer On The 7 Jewelry Pieces Every Woman Should Own

When it comes to her philosophy on jewelry, Loren Barham, Founder and Creative Director of Loren Hope, turns to Iris Apfel. “She said it best: ‘Jewelry is the most transformative thing you can wear.’ The most basic black dress or sweater can be a blank canvas for a myriad of looks. You can house a closet full of basics, and then mix and match your jewels based on your mood. Not to mention, it’s one of the easiest ways to travel.”

Loren Hope Camellia Necklace, $138, lorenhope.comCOURTESY OF LOREN HOPE

Barham knows a thing or two about jewelry. She started her line (Hope is her middle name) at her dining room table and five years later it’s sold at Nordstrom and she showcased her line during Paris Fashion Week this year. “Loren Hope kind of happened by accident,” she says. “I married my husband right out of art school. We moved to the UK with the US Air Force, and I needed a creative outlet. I started making jewelry at my dining room table with my tools from my metal smithing classes. I became addicted and had a lightbulb moment that if I could sell my designs, I could be creative while also making an income.” That’s when Loren Hope was born. The line is a modern take on vintage jewelry. “The Loren Hope aesthetic is unapologetically feminine, while being balanced out with more masculine components to make it fierce,” Barham says. “One of our mantras is ‘Why be basic when you can be bold?’”

Loren Hope’s use of glass stones makes the line unique. “I strive to make our pieces unlike anything else on the market,” Barham says. “With my fine art back ground, we are strong in color. We do a lot of processes in-house to manipulate stones in order to achieve interesting colors and effects. We have a large collection of vintage stones that I have amassed over the years that lend colors and shapes you can no longer find. I feel like this is where we shine.” Another cornerstone of the brand is that everything is made in the US, which is important to Barham. “As a consumer, I find myself more often than not frustrated with the offerings in the marketplace,” Barham says. “Unless you are shopping true luxury, it seems like 95% of the clothing and jewelry in stores these days is made so poorly that it falls apart within the first couple of wears, which means it’s no longer usable, and thus discarded. I can’t help but to think of what sort of demand this is putting on the environment. It’s important that we create a quality product that our customers can cherish for years and pass down to their children. Secondly, I get great satisfaction participating in and supporting the local community here in Rhode Island. For us, it’s not just about the bottom line. It’s about investing in our community, which I believe is something that comes around full circle.”

Just like your closet has staples like a little black dress and jeans that fit like a glove, your jewelry box should cover the go-tos. Barham shares the musts that every woman should own:

Loren Hope Abba Earrings in EmeraldCOURTESY OF LOREN HOPE

“Something emerald—whether faux or not—because it’s a color that looks gorgeous on everyone.” Loren Hope Abba Earrings in Emerald, $78, lorenhope.com

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