Q & A with Sydney Evan

Syndey Evan has been a favorite jewelry line of mine since I first laid eyes on her sapphire and diamond evil eye bracelet on Ylang23.com about seven years ago!  Since then, the brand that was named by joining her daughter and son’s first names, has grown tremendously. Designer behind the line, Rosanne Karmes, stays busy creating lust worthy charms and trinkets for everyday, trendy wear.  Her jewelry can be seen on countless celebrities, which many have made her pieces everyday staples within their looks. They are fun to stack and collect, with so many cool designs–there is something for everyone!

I was so happy to get the chance to ask her a few questions and stay tuned for an amazing GIVEAWAY!!

I’m putting the finishing touches on some amazing new collections and also some wild new bead stories for our beaded bracelet lovers. The beaded bracelets are all about color, so summer collections are always really fun for me with all the bold colors I’m able to introduce. 

I first became obsessed with jewelry in junior high school. I would take the bus to the bead store and buy beads and charms to make jewelry that I would eventually sell to my friends and teachers.  I was lucky enough to have a family friend in the jewelry business who got me my first job with a fine jewelry manufacturer while I was still in high school. I worked in every department from sales to production to design. Later I opened an accessories showroom representing some of the top fashion jewelry and accessory brands. By the time I was ready to start my own collection I had learned the business from all angles, inside and out and created great relationships which helped me to build a successful brand.

Everything!  I gain inspiration from so many things I see in my daily life. It could be a piece of fabric, a runway show, architecture, art, places I see when I travel… I think my fine jewelry background and growing up in the 70’s influences my design aesthetic as well.

In terms of my goals for the brand I would love to continue our expansion worldwide. I have dreams of opening a Sydney Evan flagship store in the near future. Also, we’ve been approached for several designer collaborations so this is something I would love to make time for in 2014.

That would have to be my Large Pavé Diamond Rectangle Bead on Mammoth Bracelet. I’m rarely seen without it! I started working with fossilized wooly Mammoth Ivory a few years ago and I love the idea of taking a prehistoric material and making it modern with gold & diamonds.