Tribal Artistic Handmade
Chicago Fashion Designer, Carla Reiter of Carla Reiter Jewelry
http://www.examiner.com/fashion-designers-in-chicago/a-finney
Knitted jewelry. Yes, knitted jewelry. Up-and-coming Evanston, Illinois jewelry designer, Carla Reiter, is the design genius behind her brand, also named Carla Reiter. Carla knits incredible darkened silver, gold, and copper metal to create her handmade signature pieces. Carla’s trendy jewelry line includes one-of-a-kind pieces that are very glamorous, and can be worn anywhere. Coming from a background as a trained sculptor, her artistic talents shine throughout her creations.
Carla’s pieces are described as ethereally elegant and original. The Carla Reiter line includes African tribal looks that embrace a jungle trend, soft petals with plush stones, mesh metal and eye-catching earrings.
Born in California, she grew up in the Midwest, with a short sojourn through England. Carla’s love for jewelry started in early childhood and continued throughout her high school years. In high school, she would make jewelry for herself, but she also designed clothing. Carla’s passion is designing jewelry, and today she is living that passion.
Carla has an art degree from Indiana University, Bloomington, with an emphasis in sculpture, a B.A. in physics and science journalism from the University of California at Santa Cruz, and a Master’s degree in cultural anthropology from the University of Texas.
While working as a journalist and writer of museum exhibitions, Carla continued making jewelry. When the journalist and museum work ended, she was free to pursue her dream of jewelry designing full-time. To get her line started, Carla began selling wholesale to small shops and galleries that catered to handmade, or artist-made work. Later, she sold retail at high-end fine craft shows.
Carla loves making things and feels a kinship with other people who have that impulse. She describes her jewelry as very sophisticated, earthy, and meant to be seen on a woman’s body — not put in a display case. Some pieces are limited editions.
Carla’s “Raisin Garland” necklace was worn by Blake Lively on the season finale of the hit show, Gossip Girl, and by celebrities Madeline Zima and Sasha Pieterse. Her designs have also been featured in many publications.
Her advice to aspiring jewelry designers is that you have to love designing, making the jewelry yourself, and managing the studio. Most of all, you will need to be a good businessperson and trust your own imagination and taste.
Carla draws inspiration from the indigenous people in Papua, New Guinea, and along the Amazon. Fashion designers who inspire Carla are the Rodarte sisters, and Japanese designers Rei Kawakubo and Yojii Yamamoto.
Carla’s future plans include having her line sold in retail stores. Check out the Carla Reiter collection at www.carlareiter.com. Retail prices range from about $180 – $6,000.
About the Author
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