Featured Entrepreneur: Rosanne Karmes
Interviewed by: Anna De La Rosa
Episode: #15
Years ago, I can remember opening one of Neiman Marcus Christmas Books and seeing several pieces of jewelry that literary took my breath away.
I thought to myself, “Who and What is that”!!!!!!!!!!!!
The stunning combination of color, whimsical design and not to mention the stacks of semi-precious stones were speaking to me. Now I am honored to have my favorite Los Angeles-based jewelry designer Rosanne Karmes on my blog of Empowering Women! Rosanne is the gorgeous babe behind Sydney Evan Jewelry which she started in 2001 with a handful of playful and spiritually inspired charms. Each piece tells a story, which I have included several pics I took at one of her Trunk Shows. I personally do not leave home without my wrist stacked high with her classic pieces because it is a source of inspiration to me. Not only is she apart of my blog, but she is being featured in my upcoming book which will include the rest of our interview and more…………
Everything has a story, let’s hear the story behind Sydney Evan Designer, Rosanne Karmes
Q1. What did you want to be when growing up?
An entertainer of sorts- dancer, singer, comedienne…
Q2. When did you first become interested in jewelry and design?
Well I have basically been in the jewelry business since high school. I used to work for a family friend who had a fine jewelry business in Downtown LA. I really studied and learned the trade and how pieces are made from start to finish.
I later started my own business/showroom representing different fashion brands including costume jewelry designers and handbag designers. I would dictate the direction in which they needed to go with their collections, as I found that I had a knack for spotting trends and needs in the marketplace.
I eventually thought to myself, why am I not designing and doing this for myself?? So, I started my fine jewelry line in 2001. I ‘married’ my experience in fine jewelry and my experience working with costume jewelry and Sydney Evan was then born!
My first piece was a horse shoe necklace, followed by our signature red coral beaded bracelet with hamsa and evil eyes.
Q3. What advise can you give women that are wanting to start their own brand or entrepreneurial journey?
Don’t think too much, just do it!
Q4. What is on the horizon for Sydney Evan in the near future?
There are SO many things on the horizon for us. We just launched a small Men’s Collection and are working on further developing our children’s collection, Little Loves, by Sydney Evan.
Sydney Evan is constantly growing and changing and finding new ways to bring love and happiness to people through fine jewelry…That is something that will always be in our future.
More about Rosanne Karmes:
Sydney Evan, the highly acclaimed fine jewelry collection was founded by Rosanne Karmes in Los Angeles in 2001, with one pave diamond horseshoe necklace. True to her personal philosophy and values, Karmes dedicated Sydney Evan to her family and named the collection after her two children Sydney and Evan, as well as her father SY. Fourteen years later, the line has grown from a handful of styles to becoming one of the most coveted fine-meets-fashion jewelry collections worldwide.
Always on the forefront of the next big trend, Karmes’ creativity infuses her love of travel, the arts and culture with her California-chic design aesthetic to ensure a constantly evolving and desirable collection. The line, made with 14 karat gold and a luxurious mix of precious and semi-precious stones, is meticulously crafted with a classic, yet whimsical sensibility.
The success of the Sydney Evan brand can be attributed to Karmes’ ability to unite her deepest source of inspiration, reflecting timeless concepts of spirituality, sentiment, and personal expression. Her pieces celebrate the uniqueness of our lives, with strong roots in family, protection, love, luck and good fortune.
Karmes pioneered the often-replicated beaded bracelet, updating personal and spiritual charm trends, thus modernizing the fine jewelry industry with the debut of these chic layering pieces. Her iconic LOVE collection has inspired a movement, making an indelible mark on the jewelry industry. In 2012, Karmes further expanded her offerings with the launch of Shy by Sydney Evan, a collection of delicate pieces in 14k gold over sterling, inspired by longtime Sydney Evan classics.
Sydney Evan routinely adorns the most popular celebrity style icons including: Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Lopez, Diane Kruger, Zoe Saldana, Gwyneth Paltrow, Emma Stone, Bar Refaeli, Rihanna, Sofia Vergara, Salma Hayek, Miranda Kerr, Kim Kardashian and Brooklyn Decker.
Check out Sydney Evan Jewelry: www.sydneyevan.com
xoxo,
Anna
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