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Euclid ring ($46, etsy.com)
By Laura Chapnick
Toronto based jewelry brand Ali Laure is making headway in the independent design world by keeping it simple. The line abides by a minimalist and architectural aesthetic—a welcome change from the ornate statement necklaces that have dominated the jewelry world for the past few seasons. The brand’s designer, Ali Clarke, derives inspiration from her everyday travels in Toronto: “I am constantly stalking people’s fingers and ears when in line at the bank or grabbing coffee in the morning,” she confesses. Clarke’s talent for scoping out the best trends from the street and distilling them into what she refers to as the brand’s classic feel is a challenge that she welcomes in her studio daily.
Although she is hyper-aware of her surroundings, Clarke filters her observations through a personal lens: “I create stronger designs when I’m working on a piece that I can’t wait to wear myself.” Currently, she is drawn to geometry and especially—the hippest shape of all—the triangle. Taking cues from her intuition, and the culture around her, Clarke is designing pieces that are undeniably current. The result is designs that her customers want to wear right now: “There have been a number of occasions when someone has complimented my rings – I take the ring off, have them try it on, and then make them keep it.” With motivation at her fingertips (literally), a new home for her designs on Etsy, and international orders coming in from Washington, Los Angeles, and even Australia, Clarke is always itching to head back to the drawing board. As she puts it, “some of my favorite pieces have come about by messing around in the studio…I love making mistakes and learning from them, or building on them to create a piece I never would have originally imagined.”
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