When Argentine-American jeweler Marianna Maurer decided to make jewelry, she drew inspiration from the world around her. Currently based in Los Angeles, this designer debuted her collection in early 2014 across the US and Canada. With a high demand for her minimalist creations, Marianna decided to expand further. Bringing her collection to Kuwait, this versatile jewelry line can now be mixed and matched with our very own unique twist – combining minimalism with our beautiful culture’s flair. Debuting in the season’s final Street Fest, MAU Jewelry will soon be coming to a boutique near you.
Starting her career in photography and video production, Marianna found herself working in New York alongside leading retailers. With that kind of exposure, it was only a matter of time till she found her true calling. The fashion industry – houses and retailers alike – were quickly transitioning from the physical to the online marketplace. Taking a page out of their book, Marianna created a website to showcase and sell her jewelry online. “Design has always been a draw for me,” she explained, “Jewelry was a natural starting point since I was working within the fashion world for several years prior.” Choosing a name for her line came naturally. Wanting to keep a personal connection between her designs, her heritage and herself, she chose the first three letters of her last name for her collection – and MAU Jewelry was born.
Having studied ceramics from early on, Marianna has always had an eye and an interest in design. Utilizing that and combining it with functionality, she gravitated towards jewelry-making. The shapes she creates are a reflection of everything around her. “I am continuously drawn to modern and minimalist design,” Marianna elaborated, “whether it’s applied to architecture, furniture or objects of any kind.” Not seeking out the forms per say, their essence is what influences the shapes they take in their final form. The marriage and balance between architecture and furniture – the aspect of design and function – are what she requires of her jewelry. So the idea that pieces have to not only look pretty, but be functional to the wearer, is the fuel to her design ambition.
It’s a fleeting afterthought – her inspiration that is – as she comes across any object from the world around her. Both manmade and organic structures draw her in and give her inspiration for her pieces. “The connection with jewelry is not immediate, but eventually makes its way into my designs,” Marianna adds. The manifestation of her inspirational piece can come from either a specific detail she’d seen, or the how something as a whole made her feel.
Environmentally conscious, her pieces are all made of recycled metals. Focusing on clean lines and minimalism in her designs, she creates beautiful things from recycled 14k gold and sterling silver. With the amount of waste that’s generated from the jewelry-making industry, Marianna decided to create everything from recycled metals. “It’s a nice way of curbing that without sacrificing quality or design,” she says. Entirely handcrafted, her pieces are all created personally by her and are made at high-end quality with high street prices.
Marianna’s collections are released twice a year, one for the Spring/Summer season and another for Fall/Winter. This gives her ample time to produce every piece with love and create beautifully structured jewelry. “I recently started incorporating precious and semi-precious stones in certain pieces,” she says, “That will be released in the Fall.” With so much in the works for her, Marianna is also collaborating with a US retailer for custom home accessories to also be released in the Fall. Through her collaborations, Marianna has found a new realm to venture into. She hopes that through her work with the retailers, she’ll be able to keep releasing more extensive collections of home accessories.
Versatility is the key to her designs. MAU Jewelry is created with the woman in mind – irrespective of her age and style. The pieces are both classic and edgy – and at times a wonderful combination of both – depending solely on the wearer. It’s the jewelry that should be worn every day, all day, by every woman. “The line is intended to be minimal and classic but nonetheless bold and I’d like a woman wearing my pieces to feel that balance,” Marianna explains, “The interlocking shapes and design found in most pieces also adds a playful element to the line.” Her designs are created to entice a sense of adventure to the wearer with no right or wrong way to wear them – as long as it’s true to your style. Simply worn on its own or layered with other pieces, MAU Jewelry is made to reflect the wearer’s panache. From day to night, let the jewelry bring your outfit together with perfect finesse. When asked what jewelry is to her, she simply said, “[It’s] feminine, nostalgic, sentimental, beautiful, bold, intimate, chic, decadent, classic and most of all super fun.”
Find out when and where MAU Jewelry will be in Kuwait by following them on Instagram @MAUJewelry_Kuwait. For orders, you can Whatsapp them on 9601 5167. For more information, please visit MAU Jewelry online at www.maujewelry.com.
