KiraKira

Suz Somersall, the designer behind KiraKira, began her love for jewelry and adornment at an early age in her hometown of New Orleans. Living in this carnival city with French and Spanish influences, the opulent architecture, costumes, and environment of New Orleans filled her with a great appreciation for design.  Take a look at her photo.  Isn't she adorable?  She is like this in person, too!  What a joy...   Her interest in form and shape grew as she studied the silhouetted artwork of Kara Walker as an undergraduate at Brown University, and then as a graduate student at the Rhode Island School of Design. She went on to pursue her passion for design in ateliers in Tuscany and on her own in Japan.  These locations, varied in their patterns, landscapes, and histories, form the diverse collection of Suz' s jewelry. Oxidized cherry blossoms, pearl studded antlers, empty Baroque cameos: all her inspirations begin as silhouettes and end as intricate adornments. In Japan, she began the KiraKira accessories line, 'kirakira' translating to 'shimmering' or 'bling bling' in Japanese.