There’s ethnic jewelry (i.e. those fun little pieces you sported in high school or college with your baby doll dresses or flannel shirts) and then there’s hand-crafted African made jewelry that makes the most of the continent’s most precious resources. And with African-style prints and jewelry dotting the runways of European and American designers, there is something wonderful about owning and wearing the real thing.
While Tebazile falls into the category of “costume jewelry,” there is nothing costume-y about the line. Necklaces, earrings and bracelets are forged into stainless steel, bronze and semi-precious stone-adorned shapes that are at once statement-making and easy enough for every aspect of one’s wardrobe. While Tebazile has received acclaim from industry sources at home and abroad, it is most important that they win the hearts of America’s biggest trend-setters. Fans already include (names of celebrities).
“Tebazile’s style stems from a combination of color and textures of traditional West African and European motifs which add a hint of playfulness, some of it inspired by my childhood in Nigeria” notes designer/owner Elizabeth Dankaro. “My calling came to me after graduating from UCLA with a degree in graphic design. I was working as an intern on an advertising campaign for a jewelry company in the mid-90s, which sparked my interest in making jewelry on my own. Designing jewelry is an enchanting process of discovering unusual gemstone combinations and taking a fresh look at classic jewelry design.”
Tebazile Jewelry is available in LA at such retail shops as Tres Jolie, Jennifer Kaufman, Fred Segal, American Rag, Giselle and Rubyjean, as well as their web site www.tebazile.com.
This week's lucky winner will get a taste of global chic with a Tebazile ring from the Spring/Summer 2008 collection.
