An Interview With lua lua

lua lua is a London-based line of jewelry that specializes in luxury handmade earrings, necklaces, bracelets and accessories in contemporary shapes and vivid colors. Launched in 2005, the brand has garnered a lot of attention in all the right places for its otherworldly designs.

Just recently, lua lua was commissioned by the Tate Modern to design a special collection of jewelry to coincide with its exhibition on Rodchenko & Popova (12 February-17 May 2009), and is currently showing a selection of designs at the Barbican Art Gallery to celebrate the modernist aesthetic of Le Corbusier (19 February-24 May 2009). The label was also asked by the Royal Academy of Arts to design pieces to complement its upcoming show on Kuniyoshi (21 March-7 June 2009).

Photography: Jan Masny
Make-up Artist: Megumi Matsuno
Hair Stylist: Kuni
Model: Savanah @ Select Model Management

Justyna Niewiara, the lovely and talented founder and creative director of lua lua, agreed to answer a few of my questions. Read on!

You studied Art History at Jagiellonian University in Krakow but your jewelry seems very bold and modern. Do you ever draw inspiration from historical sources? I have always been very inspired by the art of the Aztecs and the ancient Egyptians and more recently by artists from the 20th and 21st century. There is an almost timeless element to the language of geometric forms and color that transcends the centuries. These two elements combined with the perspex give the lua lua designs a distinct modern feel.

Why do you like working with silver and perspex? Are they difficult materials to work with? I love the combination of these materials as it offers the possibility of creating a timeless elegance with a contemporary twist. The reflectivity of the silver is stunning next to colorful perspex creating a harmonious fusion. The materials themselves can be difficult to work with when I am making some of my more complicated designs but overall I love working with them.

How long does it take you to make each piece? It depends on the whether I am designing a collection or just individual pieces, but a lot of my energy always goes into developing the ideas and concepts that influence the look of my work. Sometimes I live with an idea in my head for six months which transforms and evolves until I am ready to translate the designs into three dimensional objects.

Do you have a style icon or a celebrity you would love to design for? Not really, although I think that Bjork would look great and really enjoy wearing my jewelry. I am regularly commissioned by jewelry collectors and friends to design special pieces for them which I really enjoy doing. I find it interesting to make unique designs that suit the personality of the wearer and which compliment their own sense of individuality and style.

Describe the typical woman who wears your jewelry. lua lua jewelry has a wide appeal to women of all ages, from striking large scale necklaces with flamboyant designs to refined and elegant pieces for everyday wear. Adding a gorgeous piece of jewelry adds a sense of beauty to any woman, it can bring a a smile to your face.

What are your future plans for lua lua? The lua lua brand is growing organically and is expanding step by step. In the beginning I mainly sold my jewelry in London and the UK but now I am starting to sell in Europe, the USA and Japan. I am trying to build an awareness of the brand and in the near future I would like to collaborate with fashion designers to design a collection of jewelry for them.

Thanks Justyna! Click here to check out her current collection.

Photo credits: http://www.lualua.net