"It's more interesting to have just a picture of a small detail - then you can dream all the rest around it.
Because when you see the whole thing, what is there to imagine?" -Dries Van Noten
Cougars, and spikes, and lapidated nature... oh my. The year was 2006, and Anita Ko, a native Angelino, took the plunge and launched her namesake jewelry line, 9 years after graduating from NYU with a degree in Art History. While Ko draws inspiration from her global travels, there's a 40-year timeframe that really has had a profound creative influence on her designs - the 1940's through the 1980's. Hello swing dancers and Pat Benetar denim! She originally honed in on her entrepreneurial charisma, and fresh out of college life, she put her efforts forth and launched a line of handbags that put her name on the map. But her inherent passion for fine gems was always an endeavor she wanted to pursue, and fast-forward a couple of years, and Anita Ko (the fiercely chic jewelry line) was born. Her first clients? Maxfield, Ikram, Roseark and Jeffrey...not too bad if we do say so ourselves. Note to entrepreneurs everywhere: take note of Ko's approach - this chick knows what's up! The aesthetic encompasses micro-pave diamonds, 18 karat gold, and vibrant semi-precious stones. We kid you not, if we could, we would sleep in her killer animalistic gems Monday through Friday (alright, alright... twist our arms - we will sleep in her creations on the weekends too). Her designs are embedded with references to her local lifestyle and most importantly, are brought to life through rebellious characters (both humans and animals) that represent a trifecta of characteristics: independence, love, and luck. MK and A, Demi Moore, Nicole Richie, Rihanna, Rachel Zoe, Kate Hudson and Victoria Beckham (and that's just the verrrrrry beginning of her clientele list) have all been seen rocking her killer creations, and while currently sold at such retail powerhouses like NET-A-PORTER, The Webster Miami and Neiman Marcus, we've already been saving our pennies towards KoKo's ridiculously chic 18 karat white gold pavé panther knocker necklaces. Our ears are almost as excited as we are!
