ADHA ZELMA JEWELRY - FOR THOSE WHO LOVE THEMSELVES...

I bet you didn't think I would be writing yet another entry before year's end. Well guess what? Fooled you!!! Seriously, this entry was honestly written in October. I was just putting on the finishing pieces so I can now release it. Just in time for the Christmas Holidays!!!! Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you Adha Zelma.

I had the wonderful fortune of photographing the new and exciting collection of Adha Zelma's jewelry known as "Rock and Bone". It's bold, vivacious, colorful and beautiful. It names means just that, the collection is an amalgamation of beautiful semi precious stones, animal bones, exotic feathers all in an amazing webbing of precious metals. It is eye catching as well as breathtaking and once you've seen an Adha Zelma creation, you will never forget it.

... Especially for those who love to adorn themselves, Adha Zelma is a jewelry line that connects you to your power and sensuality....

When one does a search for Adha Zelma, the above quote will appear in one of the entries. What does that mean? ... connects you to your power and sensuality....? I decided to find out more about this beautiful and amazing line belonging to Brooklyn's own Sheanan Bond and Cherise TrahanMiller.

Upon reading the profile link in their website (http://www.adhazelma.com/), you can get a gist of exactly what this dynamic duo is all about:

... Adha Zelma is an audacious and distinctly international, jewelry line created by long time best friends Sheanan Bond and Cherise TrahanMiller.

Inspired by world culture their line blends edge and elegance. The designs reflect a distinctively sexy yet sophisticated point of view. Adha Zelma experiments with traditional adornment concepts and reinterprets through a modern eye.

Each piece is handcrafted and, therefore, each is one of a kind. Themes include earth, air, fire and water.

Adha Zelma created the accessory line for MTV’s Spring Break Fashionably Loud in Cancun, Creations have also been featured by Dirty Girl Productions, worn by Jennifer Lopez, Ananda Lewis, Rosie Perez, Keri Hilson and celebrity make-up artist Scott Barnes.
All pieces are created in the Adha Zelma studio in Brooklyn, New York.

Just what makes this jewelry amazing... Let's ask the designers.

How long have you been designing jewelry and what is the process to how a Adha Zelma piece is designed?

I have been designing since I was about eight years old. It all started with my first doll, who I thought was quite boring. So I deconstructed her clothes and created a pair of earrings and a necklace for her. My designs are centered on bringing elements of traditionalism into the modern world, while allowing spirit to flow organically through the designs. Sometimes there is a specific design in mind and other times there is not.

As I see your colleciton grow and change you gone from "Rio" to "Aria" to "Rock and Bones" explain to us the transformation and the inspiration.

Rio came about on a rainy day in Brazil, the foliage, Ipanema, carnival, the colors, the spices and the history. The city had truly transcended me to another place on earth and that collection is the manifestation of that trip. I was inspired by a simple raindrop falling from a leaf, the color of the ocean and the relaxed nature of the city.

The transformation to Aria happened when I realized that a great deal of the pieces I design, sing when worn and are often quite light like air... hence, Aria. Just like arias over time, the collection moved from simple melodies into structured forms, which became the Aria collection.

The latest collection, Rock & Bone was inspired by the Papua; each tribe has its own beliefs and the people recognize spirits, deities, totems and ancestors unique to their clans. The Papua use a great deal of teeth and bone in their jewelry, worn as a remembrance and as a way to attract spiritual power. The Jivaro was also a huge inspiration. A variety of myths have been passed down through the generations to explain the origins of the Jivaro people. In one story, the Andean foothills were subject to a severe flood, killing all but two brothers. When the waters receded and the brothers returned to their shelter, they found dishes of food laid out for them by two parrots. One of the brothers caught one of the gift-bearing parrots and married her. This is where the inspiration for the use of feathers came into play. To bring in a modern twist I started thinking about what we as a culture see as deities, the Gods and Goddesses of Rock, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and Betty Davis. These are just a few artists who have influenced the collection.

As a woman, when you look at jewelry (your own and others), what exactly draws you to it?

Before written language, or the spoken word, there was jewelry. I am often lured by my desire to capture the essence of beauty, to posses its secrets, and to unlock its mysteries. It is funny because I am actually quite shy and what often draws me to a piece of jewelry is anything that draws attention to you. I look for jewelry that is bold, and that makes a statement.

What determines the materials used in making your jewelry?

I am interested in the balance of nature and explore material that represents earth, air, fire and water. I enjoy incorporating materials used traditionally for adornment like leather, feathers, snakeskin, minerals and bone, while mixing modern elements such as 24k gold electroplated Czech Charlottes.

Some people find jewelry to be an afterthought to the completion of an outfit, however, Adha Zelma seems to be the outfit. What are your thoughts?

Accessories are typically used as external visual symbols or for function. My designs are meant to be the complete opposite and form the fashion and anything else you choose to dawn is secondary to the statement.

Complete this sentence... "Adha Zelma to me is... "

Power and sensuality...

It most certainly is.

Rock and Bone Collection:

Model: May Satch
Photography: Dallas J. Logan

Rio Collection:

Photographer: Sean Toussaint
Model: Fabyiene Miranda

Aria Collection

Model: Bintou
Photography: Sean Toussaint

Places to purchase Adha Zelma Jewelry:

Michelle New York
376 Atlantic Avenue
Brooklyn, NY

Pieces of Brooklyn
671 Vanderbilt Avenue
Brooklyn, NY

Thistle & Clover
221 DeKalb Avenue
Brooklyn, NY

ShopFlickhttp://www.shopflick.com/stores/Adha-Zelma

By request
www.AdhaZelma.com
E: iwantmore@AdhaZelma.com
718.638.2822