Growing up, Laura was inspired by her aunt (an artist herself) and her Dad, who at an early age took her to gem & mineral shows in their hometown. It was going to these shows that peaked her interest in fine gems and stones and you can see the inspiration in her work. At 10 years old, she would use her fathers tools to take apart jewelry and create something new.
Her inspiration comes from traveling, nature, European fashion and Barneys NYC.When she's not feeling inspired she will work on her craft in another way, by studying trends. From our conversation, she seems to be such a go-getter with a streak of adventure. For example, she and two girlfriends would always take trips together and on a whim they decided to choose between three cities to live in for a few years and "move on". Well--the city that won out was Charlotte...then unexpectedly she and her friends met their husbands here and Charlotte got lucky with having a talent like Laura in its midst for longer that she and her friends expected.
Laura began her business in 2005 and opened a brick & mortar store in 2009. The store allows for more accessibility for Charlotte dwellers--and comes with a few other perks such as stopping in and seeing the artist at work. What a luxury! James loves having input from her customers and I know alot of giftees who would enjoy having a handmade, one of a kind piece from a world-renowned artisan. A gift from James is something that can be passed down through many generations. It can also be a piece that you (or your giftee) wears every day or on special occasions. Laura James has something for everyone in her store--and if she doesn't have it, she can create it, sharing that some customers come in with magazine pieces or want to merge some of her already designed pieces and she happily obliges.
Some of her top selling pieces include the sideway cross necklace, cuff bracelets, adjustable cocktail rings and stud earrings. For this season, Laura sees all metal jewelry, fringe and statement necklaces taking center stage. She just debuted her vintage couture collection and is working on an artisan collection, where other artisans will come together and she will sell some of their pieces in her store. The store also provides items to store your jewelry and origami hand stamped enclosure cards. This is a great idea, making Laura James Jewelry a one stop shop. It also allows your gift to stay on theme by purchasing packaging with the same "feel" as the jewelry. Stop in to laura james jewelry today and let me know what you think!
Bzzzz: If you sign up to be on their email list, you will be alerted of their Chic Sprint Sale, where once a month select jewelry is up for grabs at 50% off!
