Our DESIGNER

An interview with GINA FELDMAN LOVE

Q: How did you get into design?

I first got into design when I was young - playing with dolls and wanting more and more outfits for them. With help from my mom, who was at one time a clothing designer and who is now a jewelry designer, I made patterns out of construction paper and used scrap cloth that she gave me to make different clothes for my dolls. I learned to knit at around 6 years old and I became really good at it. So I turned those knitting needles into another way of making clothes for my dolls. I remember knitting a ballgown with a bolero jacket from multicolored wool for one of my dolls when I was about 7 or 8 years old. I am sure she was burning up in that wool dress since we lived in Jamaica, W. I. at the time.

While in college, I studied political science and history - yet, I spent an inordinate amount of time sketching dresses, jewelry, shoes and bags. In law school, I continued sketching unabated. By the time I realized that I should have done something else with myself, I was interviewing for jobs as a lawyer - well down the path of a legal career having incurred a lot of debt from law school.

Finally, after several years of working as a real estate lawyer in Manhattan, I decided to take night and weekend classes at Parsons. I studied handbag design and branding. Those classes were the highlight and joy of my life at the time. They lead to my creating Peryton, a New York-based leather goods brand. And Peryton led to Auvere.

Q: Do you have a design philosophy? If so, what is it?

I have great respect for the materials I work with. In the case of Auvere, I want to showcase the magnificence of the 22 and 24 karat gold we use. This results in a more minimalist, architectural design (see the Sculptura Collection). I pursue symmetry and harmony with an off-kilter" flair (see the Arignote and Celestial Collections). I also want to inspire delight and desire - to have fun with design (see the Talisman Collection).

Q: What makes Auvere jewelry different?

We use high karat gold and traditional craftsmanship to make jewelry with a modern aesthetic.

Q: Speaking of aesthetic, how would you describe that of Auvere in five words:

Architectural. Uncluttered. Fresh. Linear. Solid.

Q: How often do you release new collections and pieces?

We release three to seven new pieces per month. We create new collections each year and then continue to fill them out over time.

Q: Do you design every single Auvere piece? What is your design process?

Yes. I design every single piece. I sketch every design by hand in multiple iterations until the design feels resolved and it is time to stop. Then I think through the dimensions of each piece. My drawing is turned into a CAD drawing, which I review and revise to make sure that the design is properly reflected and the dimensions and gold weight work for the piece. Once I approve the design, we make the first samples in silver, which I wear for a while to test the same. I revise the silver sample until I am satisfied. Then we produce the item in gold.

Q: Tell us about the creative inspiration for each collection.

The Celestial Collection was inspired by the discovery of 7 new eco-planets in 2017. Sculptura resulted from my desire to create pieces that were heavy and sculptural. I was very much inspired by the work of Constantin Brancusi. The Arignote Collection is named after the first known female mathematician - Arignote. These pieces are linear and more precise. With the Talisman Collection, I wanted to take common icons and give them my twist.

Q: Why do you work exclusively with 22 and 24 karat gold?

1. High karat gold and pure gold possesses that gorgeous ultra-golden hue.
2. It is precious and rare.
3. Very few people in the U.S. are willing to work with 22 and 24 karat gold because they claim high karat gold is too soft for jewelry — even though humans have been making jewelry from high karat gold for millennia. Even today, much of the rest of the world uses high karat gold for jewelry. I am referring specifically to Turkey, Greece, the Middle East, South America, China and India.
4. Because 22 and 24 karat gold is considered investment grade — meaning the same grade of gold used for gold bullion.

Q: Tell us more about your decision to include gemstones.

When we started Auvere, we did not use gemstones — just 22 and 24 karat gold. In the fall of 2019, we launched a few rings with rubies and in 2020, the Talisman collection will contain several pieces with diamonds. My decision to use gemstones resulted from two things — my own love of color and sparkle as well as requests by customers for rings and pendants containing gems. One cannot predict the future, but it is our intention to maintain our focus on gold while exploring gems. In other words, gold will be the primary material we use — even in jewelry containing gemstones. As with our gold, all gemstones used in our products are, and will be, responsibly sourced.

Q: We know that you were a lawyer at one time. Is there anything from your legal career that continues to influence your career as a jewelry designer?

I was a real estate lawyer for a while. I chose real estate because it was as creative as it got in the law — my work ultimately led to the construction of the office, hotel, retail and residential buildings. Real estate developments can be beautifully realized. Maybe, as a result of that experience, I find myself inspired by, and creating, very architectural looking pieces.

To read more about Gina, click here (October 2017 Interview), here (Hype Magazine Interview), here (Departures Magazine Interview) and here (Need To Know, Surface Magazine).