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Retail
Monica’s Story
Each piece of Monica Rich Kosann jewelry tells a story, and now the designer starts a new chapter with the launch of her charitable program Monica Cares.
By Amber Michelle
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| Monica Rich Kosann Gate Locket. |
Every picture tells a story and so does every piece of jewelry by designer Monica Rich Kosann, who believes that every woman has a story to tell. Central to Kosann’s design philosophy is the question that she asks every time she creates a new jewel: “Can a woman give this piece to her daughter in 20 years?” If the piece tells the story of a life, then the answer is yes. Kosann’s mission is to integrate a woman’s most cherished memories and possessions into daily life.
Kosann was led into jewelry design through her photography business. It all started when she was looking for unique ways to frame the portraits of people she had photographed that would make the images more personal for her clients. “As a photographer, I told stories and making jewelry to tell a story was an organic evolution,” explains Kosann, who uses black and white film and darkroom techniques in her photography that are not commonly used in a digitized world.
Influenced by the early 1900s, Kosann loves the glamour and elegance of compacts, cigarette cases and jewelry from that era. She began hunting through flea markets in search of these treasures, which she used to frame photographs for her clients. Her search also brought lockets to her attention. Kosann has always had a particular fascination with lockets and began designing her own. “I find lockets to be sexy and mysterious. They hold secrets and everyone has secrets,” she says. “Lockets tell a story of life through a picture of a child or pet, but they also hold secrets — maybe a picture of the Eiffel Tower if you long to go to Paris.”
Kosann admits that she is also intrigued by the charm bracelets worn by Jackie O and the Duchess of Windsor, noting that the bracelets tell the life stories of these iconic women. The personal story that a charm, or a collection of charms, reveals prompted Kosann to design charms with messages of empowerment that will tell the tale of a woman’s life. “My charm bracelets are about grand themes — travel, adventure, life, love and commitment,” relates Kosann. “A charm bracelet celebrates the story of a woman’s life — in a way, it is like a fingerprint, totally unique to that woman.”
Key to the core of the Monica Rich Kosann line is her ability to take vintage items and make them modern. Her poesy ring collection is a reflection of that philosophy. Poesy rings, which are inscribed with sentimental messages, were originally exchanged between friends and lovers in the 1500s. “Knights gave their ladies poesy rings in the fourteenth century; now, cool girls wear a ring from their dad or boyfriend around their neck. It’s something you can wear forever,” notes Kosann. Her poesy rings, worn as a necklace, are engraved with messages such as “I love you more,” “never fear,” “carpe diem” and “silver lining.”
Drawing upon her poesy collection, Kosann is turning her attention to another area that she feels strongly about — giving back. She has created Monica Cares, a charitable program in partnership with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), North Shore Animal League America (NSALA) and Women in Need (WIN) — an organization that helps homeless women in New York City find homes. “I’ve been doing photography of kids for the Boys & Girls Club for years, but I wanted to do something more, something that I could formalize and grow,” comments Kosann.
Monica Cares was launched at Tavern on the Green in New York City’s Central Park, where the specially themed poesy ring necklaces were on display. Available in sterling silver or yellow gold, the poesy rings are simple and can be worn singly or as multiples on a chain or leather cord. Kosann has created a poesy ring for each of the three charities, with a special message engraved inside the ring. For the BCRF, she made a ring that says “strength” that is also embellished with a pink sapphire. The NSALA ring is engraved with “unconditional love” and has a tiny paw print on the top. The ring for WIN has the words “hope, love and win” inscribed inside. Fifty percent of the purchase price is given to the charity when its designated ring is purchased. “I’ve been involved with so many charities that it was a natural to start this program,” says Kosann. The Monica Cares collection debuted in September 2015 exclusively on the designer’s website, monicarichkosann.com.
In addition to helping out a worthy organization, these poesy rings add another layer to a woman’s story by letting people know what causes are close to her heart. “When you wear something specific about you, it is empowering and powerful,” concludes Kosann.Article from the Rapaport Magazine - September 2015. To subscribe click here.
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