{NM Daily}

Elizabeth Showers jewelry at the drawing board...

...and then, at NM!

Elizabeth Showers—known for her striking jewelry, colorful gemstones and bubbly personality—gave me my first look into the world of design. I went to work for her in 2009 as a recent college graduate. It was here that I first valued the “lifecycle” each piece of her jewelry underwent. From inspiration boards to hand-sketched drawings to international trade shows, each piece carries a meaningful history with it. Elizabeth’s life has always been attached to her designs. I remember a custom monkey necklace she designed for herself…and the broken-tile-turned-necklace from the hospital where she was born.

After battling an eating disorder early on, Elizabeth found a sense of purpose. She strives to empower all women to feel good about themselves. She places a “Hope Star” symbol on almost all of her jewelry to serve as a reminder. Recently I caught up with my inspiring former boss…

NM: Elizabeth, when you’re not traveling the globe for work, what are your favorite vacation spots?

ES: I absolutely love adventures and exploring, so I am finally making sure to tack on some fun side trips to all my regular Asian travels now. I have taken a side trip on both of my Thailand work trips so far this year, to visit an inspiring place called the Elephant Rescue Park just north of Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. Its primary goal is to rescue abused and old elephants from tourist attractions, and love and care for them — and not to use them for riding, but just to feed, bathe and love them back to health.  I plan to take my 10-year-old niece to volunteer there together for a week in the next couple of years.

Elizabeth Showers volunteers at the elephant reserve.