Selina King
Selina King introduces us to her gorgeous eponymous brand. She talks to us about working with metals, where she finds her inspiration, and how her father influenced her life and career.
Earrings: Muriel Earrings, Bracelet: Triple Georgia cuff 14K gold plate, Rings: wedding band, Top: Ulla Johnson, Jeans: Levi
Tell me a bit about yourself. Where did you grow up, where did you study, when did you come to New York?
I grew up in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. As a child I always felt a very strong connection to New York City as well as to my southern roots. My mother grew up in Brooklyn and my father, born in Savannah, Georgia and moved to Long Island when he was a teenager. So that is where my New York connection began. When I was 18 I moved to New York City to study business and fashion design at Parsons School of Design.
What brought you to jewelry design? Tell me about Selina King the brand – where the brand started, and how you now see it. When did you launch the brand, and why?
My father was a self taught Jeweler. My parents owned a crystal store when I was little where they sold his jewelry. So growing up I was always around Jewelry. I didn’t consider Jewelry as a career until I was in my mid 20s. I began taking apart vintage pieces of jewelry and reassembling them into my own designs using the found components and that’s how I stumbled on to my passion. The first earrings I made, I sold to my friend and it is all history from there. I realized I was onto something and kept pushing myself to learn, take classes and try to learn how to create the designs I had in my head. The same friend that I sold my first earrings to, hosted my first jewelry trunk show and that’s how I started my career in the jewelry business.
My first brand launched in 2007 with a bit of a different style. At that point my jewelry designs were created from deconstructing vintage pieces. I created a lot of hammered hoops and cuffs. I came to a point whereI felt like I didn't have the skills to create the designs that I had in my head so I decided to take a break from jewelry design and began fashion styling. I returned to jewelry design in 2012 but I decided to take it to the next level and learn more. I began taking basic metalsmithing classes and learning from other jewelers who mentored me. In a lot of ways I am a self taught jeweler like my father.
WhenI I started I had no idea of what my brand would become or if I would ever really be a brand. Selina King Jewelry has morphed into something that I can truly say I've worked hard to attain and that I am so proud of. I am finally designing and making the pieces that I love and it's taken years of hard work to get to this point. My view of this brand has changed completely. When I first started this was my hobby and now I am truly a brand.
When you were at Parsons, you developed a strong relationship with Tim Gunn. What did you learn from him, especially any tips on styling jewelry or accessories?
My relationship with Tim Gunn was more as a mentor as he was the Dean of my department at Parsons. When I was a junior I was considering leaving school due to family matters, and Tim helped me graduate early. He was always so passionate about his students and I remember he always had impeccable style even before project runway! We never really touched on styling and he was never a teacher of mine but he was always a wonderful human being who I have so much respect for. I feel blessed for the connection we had at the time. Recently I ran into him and it felt like running into an old friend. He said he remembered me as vividly as the day I walked into his office. He is an incredible person and I am so proud of his success.
Who is the kind of woman who wears Selina King jewelry?
Women of all ages and styles were my jewelry. I have customers in their 20’s and customers in their 80’s! I have met women who said they have never worn jewelry and then they find my line and buy multiple pieces. Some of my customers also have very expensive fine jewelry but they find the quality of my pieces for everyday wear is what they have been searching for.
Many of my clients have been collectors of my pieces since my early years and they continue to add to their collection. My line is very versatile so I don’t really have one style. My pieces are classic and have a minimalist feel however they also have a feeling of the Artist movement of the 60s and 70s. I think customers love that they can get a comfortable and classic piece that can be worn every day or going out at night but that the pieces also are high quality and have a unique aesthetic.
Who is your dream client?
I honestly feel like my dream clients are the clients I already have. They give me so much support and I have extreme admiration for each of them, they are my dream clients. People respect me and they respect my product and some cannot get enough. This line has been a dream come true for me to be able to work for myself and make women feel so beautiful.
Earrings: Gabriella Hoop small 14K Gold plate, Bracelet: Sheila cuff 14K gold plate, Rings: Large Georgia Ring 14K vermeil, wedding band, Top: Ulla Johnson, Jeans: Levi
How do you envision the future of your brand? How does Selina King evolve over the course of the next decade?
I have been so blessed with the support of the community that I grew up in and with customers who have helped grow my brand. My ultimate goal is to expand my brand to an international level, while still creating a connection with my customers. I would love to have a storefront where I can showcase my regular collection and take private appointments to design custom fine/engagement jewelry.
Earrings: Large Gabriella Earrings in Sterling Silver, Bracelet: Single Georgia Cuff, Rings: Silver Georgia Ring Large, wedding band.
What is your design process like?
Growing up on an island, I've always felt so connected to nature so I draw a lot of my design inspiration from this as well as from vintage jewelry and fashion. Vintage is so much a part of my personal style so my pieces tend to be representative of that. Sometimes I will see an image or a shape and I will imagine it in a different way to create something new and beautiful. Once I've found my inspiration the design process begins. From there I typically sketch it out and do a flat rendering. After this I move into the process of making a first model.
Where do you find your inspiration?
My inspiration truly comes from all over. I’m inspired by vintage fashion, nature, old photos and old movies. Sometimes I’m just inspired to design a specific piece like another hoop with a new take.
You work mainly with metals. What draws you to these materials? How did you learn to work with metal?
One of the reasons I was so inspired to work with metal originally was because metals are like their own piece of art that is wearable. That was why I was originally drawn to metals over beads or other jewelry materials. I like how forgiving metal is. When I took my first metalsmithing class I learned that if you make a mistake during the process you can usually fix it. I was intrigued by the fact that you could take a flat piece of metal and change it into something completely different, i.e. taking a piece of wire and making it into a ring. Now you've completely changed the structure of the piece.
I learned to work with metals through my father. I watched him create jewelry my entire childhood. Seeing that I was indirectly influenced to work with metals.
You’ve expanded your line to make fine jewelry and custom engagement rings. How different is this design process for you? What is your relationship with these clients like? Are the custom pieces you make more of your own designs, or a collaboration with the client? Do they come in with their own design ideas and you refine them, or do most of your clients just come in and ask you to do what you do best?
For me this process has been very different and I’ve learned so much through the years. The process of fine jewelry whether it be a custom piece where I’m using old diamonds to make a new design or sourcing diamonds to make a design is all very meticulous. You are dealing with a much smaller scale than my other collection and you develop a different connection with the piece because it's a one of a kind design for that person. You may be taking their grandmother's diamond to create a new design and this brings in an even deeper spiritual connection to the process and to that person. You are designing a piece now that they will have for the rest of their life or the piece that will signify their union.
It can be different every time as far as the process with the customer. Sometimes they come to me and just say “can you take out all these diamonds and come up with something beautiful” other times they will bring me an antique piece that they want to change slightly so I am redesigning a new piece with similar elements to make it a more modern and wearable. Most times though they entrust me to just take the diamonds or multiple stones out and come up with my own design whether it be for an engagement ring or custom piece.
Earrings: Large Gabriella Earrings in Sterling Silver, Bracelet: Single Georgia Cuff, Rings: Silver Georgia Ring Large, wedding band.
Your father owned a jewelry store in Hilton Head and began making his own jewelry. What was it like having him as an influence and inspiration? Is there anything in your current practice that you took directly from him? Either in jewelry making or in how you run your business?
My father was almost 60 when I was born. He and my mother met after both being married and divorced and decided to move to South Carolina and start a family. Jewelry making was a second career for my father prior to that he was a builder. Sadly even though we had the store my father got sick when I was very young but those years were really great when I did have him in my life. I do remember sitting and watching him hammer and solder and there must have been a piece of me that took that in and kept it close to my heart. I am almost half Native American as well so I feel like making jewelry is in my blood. I feel like I probably had ancestors who did as well because I'm so connected and so passionate about jewelry design.
My father always worked for himself and he always figured it out whether that be surviving or starting something new. That’s truly what I gained from him, his spirit of strength and faith in the unknown. He lived life to its fullest and he passed that on to me as well. He was the life of the party but also one of the kindest men I’ve ever known and I cherish the time and memories we shared together. I was 18 when he passed away and I do feel like he let go to let me go because I would have never left his side. We had a very close connection.
Selina’s jewelry bench in her Brooklyn studio.
What’s your personal approach to style?
It is very relaxed with a more bohemian element. In the summer I live in Mexican dresses and Birkenstocks. Going out I like to dress up and that's why the element of jewelry design has been so fun. I feel like you can accessorize your whole outfit with a statement piece of jewelry. Most days I'm working in my studio so I tend to go for comfort over being too styled but my jewelry is designed in a way where I can even wear it in the most casual settings to the most sophisticated settings.
Do you have any jewelry in your personal collection that wasn’t made by you? If so, what are they? What other brands do you like to wear?
Most of my jewelry that isn't made by me is vintage pieces that were my mothers or that i've found thrifting through the years. I predominantly wear my own jewelry because I really like it, that's the honest truth. I’m being silly but I'm kind of serious (haha).
You are married to the tattoo artist and musician Knarly Gav. How does that partnership influence your style?
Gavan has really taught me a lot about style through the years. He has always really supported who I was and my personal style, and I his. We really feed off of each other being artists and push each other to never hold back who we truly are and our art and style. He was a hippie long before I was.
Selina wears the Single Georgia Cuff in silver, and holds her Triple Georgia Cuff in gold.
How has the pandemic affected your business? Are you starting to see things change again?
I honestly saw more of a positive effect in my business during the pandemic. It slowed down for the first month, but after that we picked up like normal. I think if anything I saw a surge in projects because a lot of people wanted to order fine jewelry that was more important to them during the pandemic. I think it brought awareness to more meaningful things in life. My amount of custom projects with antique diamonds that were family heirlooms or diamonds rings that customers wanted redone actually went up. I think customers saw more of an immediate importance to pieces that meant a lot to them .
Thank you, Selina!
