Lele Sadoughi
The new name to know in jewelry is Lisa “Lele” Sadoughi. Ring a bell? Maybe not, but her aesthetic most likely will. Lele has been designing swoon-worthy jewels for years, first at Ippolita, then launching a jewelry collection for a popular retail chain, and now serving as design director at Tory Burch. Most recently, the Texan-turned-New Yorker extends her prolific design eye to an eponymous enameled jewelry collection. NMdaily sits down with Sadoughi to see what sparked her Spring 2013 designs.
Lotus & Scarab necklace.
The Source: I’m inspired by a place and a time. I like to create a world based on the architecture, paintings, and feelings of an era. I am always traveling, researching, and thinking about the next idea.
I love to scour flea markets all over the world. I recently spent some time in Marrakech, Morocco digging through piles of dusty jewels in the shops throughout the souks. I recently visited Seoul, Korea and was truly inspired by all the modern technology around me. Last month, I headed to Mexico to soak in all the colors in their pottery and woven clothing.
I also make several trips a year to the Picture Collection on the 3rd floor of the Bryant Park Library. It is the place where broken books lay to rest and you can rent out tear sheets from these battered books. I soak up anything that is grand with scale and color.
Inspiration
The Inspiration: For Spring 2013, I was really interested in the early 1920′s with the resurgence of Egyptian architecture and design. I wanted to capture the mechanical, geometric deco look and add the fantasy of Ancient Egypt.
This season, I was inspired by the Egyptian revival upon the discovery of King Tut’s tomb in the early 1920′s. I wanted to reinterpret ancient Egyptian columns, drawings of lotus flowers, and jeweled headdresses into modern, geometric elements.
I really love stacking my slider bracelets. I looked at many drawings of ancient Egyptian painted columns with rows of painted lotus flowers, stripes, and colorful drawings. My slider bracelets are meant to be stacked on each arm and can tell a different story with each color combination worn.
Mini cube slider bracelets.
The Attraction: In the 1920′s there was a shift in the direction of costume jewelry; it was no longer about making imitations of precious jewelry, but about creating art. For my Spring 2013 Collection, I played around with the stripes from the Pharaoh’s scepters, made golden falcons, and even created abstract lotus flowers. Basically, I am trying to create a new world from old ideas each season.
Lotus earrings.
The Vision: Costume jewelry should be memorable. I think about the woman that wants a button earring for every day and the fabulous chandelier earring for special occasions. We need a piece to fit all our moods.
