Gorjana Reidel of the Well-Known Jewelry Brand, gorjana, Takes Layering VERY Seriously
What comes to mind when you think of timeless pieces of jewelry?
We automatically think of the brand gorjana. Their pieces are not only classic and chic, but they are timeless as well. And you know what that means? They'll never go out of style.
We wanted to get the inside scoop straight from founder, Gorjana Reidel, herself. Keep reading for our full interview with her!
Sweety High: Have you always been passionate about jewelry?
Gorjana Reidel: I think I always knew I wanted to work with products, but never anything specific. I didn't intentionally set out to start a jewelry line, let alone a large company. I received my degree in marketing, but when I started interviewing I quickly realized I would not be with a regular 9 to 5 job. I needed to be creative, and express the energy that was inside me. Jewelry sort of just fell into my path and I haven't looked back since!
SH: What inspired you to create gorjana, and how did the opportunity come about?
GR: My first job was at a Neiman Marcus as an assistant manager in their jewelry department—safe to say I immediately fell in love with it. I was 22 at the time and could not afford any fine jewelry. So, I started designing pieces for myself and my friends that were high quality, but at a more approachable price point. That was 16 years ago, and I still love designing jewelry as much today as I did back then.
SH: What were the most important factors when it came to developing gorjana?
GR: I really wanted to create a line that was beautiful, high quality and fun. I always feel jewelry should be something that brings happiness to your life and makes your day a bit brighter. It really should be something fun to collect, and play with, allowing you to express yourself. I think having that timeless aspect to the pieces is also really important. Pieces that you keep coming back to time and time again.
SH: Do you have a favorite piece or pieces?
GR: That is a really hard question, and it changes all the time! Right now, here are the pieces I always have on: The Parker Necklace, The Venice Necklace, Floating Diamond Necklace, Lou Hoops and Diamond Huggies.
SH: What pieces should every girl have in their jewelry collection?
GR: A great pair of Hoops! Our Lou Hoops and Huggies, and Shimmer or Taner Huggies are the perfect everyday ear accessory. For that perfect layered look, I love a great chain necklace, like our Parker Necklace, paired with a more delicate necklace, like our Diamond Cluster Necklace. You also can't go wrong with a gold chain bracelet, like our Venice or Wilder Bracelet. And of course, a great stack of rings—I love our simple stackable rings, you can wear them all together or spread across your hand. All of these pieces are so versatile, and so easy to wear! It makes mixing and matching so fun. Don't forget to have fun with your pieces, and experiment, see what works best for you—layering is fun!
SH: What else should we know about gorjana?
GR: That we really stand behind what we do and we really focus on the details and the quality of our pieces. We have a Happiness Guarantee on all of our products!
SH: Anything else you'd like us to know?
GR: We founded gorjana 15 years ago, in the beautiful, sunny town of Laguna Beach, California. The coastal, casual lifestyle of Southern California can be felt in everything we do! We create timeless, quintessentially Californian jewelry that you'll live in, love always and layer every day.
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