by boe, by Swedish-born jewelry designer Annika Salame

While living in Atlanta a few years ago, I was introduced to Annika Salame, the beautiful Swedish designer behind jewelry brand by boe.

I instantly fell in love with her designs and decided I needed to share her talent with U.S. Hispanics and Latin Americans via a jewelry segment on CNN Español. Check it out for yourself… :vjdvjds

Years later, by boe is one of my top five favorite jewelry brands. I’ve collaborated several times with the brand, however I had never interviewed the brains behind the operation. As my first post of 2014, please enjoy my interview with the creative and ultra talented, Annika Salame of by boe.

Q. For your Collections, is it important for you to balance the architectural and modern with the pure & natural?

A. Most definitely. I think the word balance has always been at the center of my design process. When a piece feels balanced, natural in flow yet structured and modern, it is “right” to me.

Q. Were you encouraged to develop your jewelry brand? If so, who provided this encouragement? 

A. My mom has always been very encouraging, herself having had a career in design, she has been good support all along. When I first opened the studio/storefront I became pretty good friends with a lot of my customers and they were really the biggest support and inspiration.

Q. As a former dressmaker, I believe you bring superb warmth & charm at every turn. How does this background in dressmaking influence your jewelry designs?

A. Thank you! Maybe that background does not directly influence my designs but I do think about how the clothes and accessories play on each other, details such as how textures work together or contrast each other. A lot of times, articles of clothing are sources of inspiration, a certain piece of clothing that I want to design a piece of jewelry for.

Q. Share with us about your experience working in Dubai. Did it have a positive impact on your designs?

A. Well, it was a bit tricky at first, the Scandinavian simple aesthetic and the ornate middle eastern style were not the easiest to combine. I was repeatedly told to add more 🙂 and eventually found ways to do so that still felt right to me. The more time I spent with the craftsmen embroidering the designs the more impressed I was with their techniques and the more I was inspired to elaborate.

Q. Describe your designs in three words.

A. Balanced, thoughtful and distinctive.

GEO COMB CHOKER

ABOUT

Born in Sweden to a design centric home, Annika Inez’s move to New York City and career in design were greatly influenced by her mother’s stories of working as a fashion designer in New York during the 1960s. Prior to opening the jewelry workshop/retail store Annika Inez in 2000, she explored different areas of design including a footwear collection and Interior Design studies at Parsons The New Schoolfor Design.

Annika settled on her passion for jewelry and at Annika Inez produced one of a kind pieces from unique materials and vintage components. Together with a partner, she launched the wholesale arm of by boe in 2004. Serving as inspiration was her general philosophy of the power of accessories as a bold, yet subtle personality statement.

Of her overall design influences Annika Inez states: “More than having specific inspirations such as a character from a specific movie, I have always felt that experiences and impressions that make me feel inspired and excited to create are my influences. Be it a dance performance, a walk in nature, a spectacular storm or sunset, music that makes me feel, the excitement of seeing a part of the world. The more specific sources of inspiration are usually noticeable after a collection is done.”

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