Art on Your Body
It's not just another beaded bracelet. It's a talisman — a connection back to your roots.
by Oriana La Marca
The morning light hits the deep blue of the lapis on my wrist, and for a second, I’m not in my New Jersey studio. I’m back in Scopello, looking out at the impossibly blue water of the Tyrrhenian Sea. It’s amazing how a color can transport you. A simple stone can hold the memory of a place, a feeling, a perfect afternoon. That’s why I’ve always been drawn to them.
My Nana, who was a seamstress for Halston, always said that what you put on your body should have a soul. It’s a philosophy I carry with me into the studio every day. Listen, anyone can string some beads together. But to create something that feels alive, that has a story—that takes intention. We work with over 120 different colors of natural gemstones, and not one of them is chosen by accident. We use black lava stone that feels like a piece of Mount Etna, powerful and grounding. We have red howlite that mimics the precious coral you see in Sciacca, and brilliant yellow agate that holds all the sunshine of a Sicilian lemon grove. No plastic, no glass. Just the earth’s own poetry. Each piece is hand-knotted by my team of girls here in the studio—it’s a true labor of love, one knot at a time.
When I design, I’m thinking about a woman getting dressed in the morning. She’s putting on her watch, her rings, and then she chooses a bracelet. It’s not just another accessory. It’s a talisman. It’s art on your body. Maybe she’s wearing our Panarea collection and it reminds her of a summer she spent in the islands, the white-washed walls against the bougainvillea. Or maybe she’s never been to Sicily, but wearing a bracelet with ceramic beads hand-painted in Burgio gives her a connection back to her roots, a little piece of the heritage she carries inside.
Each of our nine destination collections is designed to capture the spirit of a place. The glamour of Taormina, the rustic soul of Castellammare del Golfo, the energy of Palermo. It’s about bottling that feeling of an aperitivo at sunset, the taste of salt on your skin after a swim, the warmth of the people. It’s about creating something beautiful that connects you to a memory, or a dream. Good food, good wine, good company—these are the things that make life beautiful. And a little stack of bracelets that reminds you of it all? That’s the beauty. It’s a story on your wrist. And I wouldn't change a thing.