15 years sounds like a long time but in the greater scheme of things, it’s just a Drop in the Ocean.
Before I started designing jewellery I thought about what kind of jewellery I would like to create.
I wanted longevity. I wanted something for everyone; inclusivity and a sense of belonging. I didn’t want to follow trends or be beholden to the tides of fashion. I wanted jewellery that people felt held meaning for them and that would be gifted with that in mind. A reminder of home, of loved ones and of how unique New Zealand is. That was my approach.
New Zealand's birdlife was my first foray into design and came about from wanting a little bit of home for people to take with them everywhere. My pencil drawings of stylised, chubby native birds were faxed (yes, faxed) from my then home in Silver Lake, Los Angeles back to Auckland where my Birdland was brought to life in precious metal.
The final piece was the packaging, a pretty, round box in a pale blue that evoked a clear summer sky was dressed in a ribbon tied in a bow. It was your gift already wrapped up and ready to give.
I love designing and I am so grateful that the jewellery is still going strong after all these years.
Thank you so much,
xox Boh
Pictured at the launch of Birdland in 2007: Bic (sister), Sophia (Mum), Pearl (sister) & Boh Runga