Originally called Anthropology Projects, EllePhlaunt Artables is an evolution of a jewelry company I started in 1999, after living in NYC and attending conservatory. In 2009, I decided it was time to revamp. Designing jewelry spawned after being inspired by two Italian sisters, friends I met in Honolulu. While living in the east coast, I found Moni & Babi in the city where they had opened Sorelle Firenze in Tribeca (where I spent a lot of time). The "Sisters of Florence" came up with some super fun ideas for garments and accessories that made me so happy. Since Babi was also a dancer, a lot of the designs really accentuated this essence of femininity, with grace, confidence, playfulness and originality, while celebrating culture. Babi had also designed a lariat that I absolutely fell in love with and it became my initial inspiration.
During my time in New York, I had an intense performing arts schedule, kept a dedicated weight training practice and sometimes felt overstimulated. I would find quaint locations to write in my journal while sipping on tea and created balance by taking time to adventure around my neighborhood on the upper west side. One day, I found a bead shop and it was there that I made my first investment in beads, which has grown for the last 20+ years. Designing has always been a way to sooth the myself when I needed to reset my focus, quiet the mind and use my hands to create. Jewelry design has been a significant form of expression for many years, and it is one of the things in life I call medicine.
Over the years, I have designed for shops in Southern California and featured pieces in specialty boutiques in Honolulu, and did custom designs for weddings and special occasions. However, I find it the most enjoyable when I can tailor a piece specifically for an individual and tell the story behind the materials to them directly, so for many years, I offered this service only by word of mouth. I have also made occasional impromptu appearances with my trench coat to keep the street art & vending culture alive- just for fun. Please enjoy this rare share and stay tuned as I add to this collection and show some previous works with you. Here is a sneak peek of the "Flash Jewelry Collection" below:
https://mizpaizlee.bandcamp.com/merch