#GIRLBOSS SPOTLIGHT: SASHA L.

Written by: Kabrea Thomas

She's the toot to her own horn, and the inspiration to her jewelry collection. Sasha is a spiritualist, jewelry designer, artist and our #girlboss of the hour. Read all about how Sasha plans to combine culture, nature and spirituality into her pieces. 

Kabrea Thomas:

What does the term #girlboss mean to you?

Sasha L.:

A Girlboss is someone who’s independent, owns her truth, and she’s true to herself. She pursues her passions, owns her passions and makes them come into fruition.

KT:

What is the inspiration behind your brand Sasha L Jewels?

SL:

My inspiration comes from different sources - my culture comes from my Caribbean roots. And also travel, I love to travel so I try to infuse my collections from the inspiration I gain from different cultures along my travels. A lot of my pieces are Earth tones, which gives a natural look but also it gives that flexibility of going from day to evening. In a sense it kind of mirrors my personality. Our clients are also a reflection of our brand, they are bold, empowering and very versatile in a fashion sense. Which is why we have different collections that go from one extreme to the next. My brand’s motto is wear what you feel - that’s also how I am. I don’t really plan what I’m going to wear, I just dress how I feel in the moment.

KT:

Your products are handmade, do you have any particular pieces you enjoy making? And why?

SL:

I think it depends on my mood, but I do enjoy making the natural adornments collection. I also enjoy beading and finding different stones. I do like to infuse my collections with symbolism. Each stone has different meanings and that’s where the infusion of natural and spirituality come into play. I love making earrings, and I also do jewelry restorations. There have been times where clients have come to me with broken jewelry and I would recreate, so people can wear what they love again.

KT:

Why do you think your customers enjoy handmade over factory made?

SL:

I make my pieces with love and it’s more personal. It’s also like you’re telling a story in what you’re making. The same way a writer tells a story, or how an artist paints a picture. So it’s more of an artistic expression, and it’s art to wear. So I find that my clients are not customers who are just buying factory made pieces off of the rack. They like to be unique, and stand out in a simple bold way.

KT:

When it comes to making your pieces, how do you start your process?

SL:

It really does depend on my mood. Sometimes I just get into a mood when I want to make earrings, and I’ll just playing around with it. Sometimes there are certain colors that I am drawn to for a season. I know that blue is one of my favorite colors so I can go a little crazy with turquoise. With the summer coming up I’m drawn to coral, and there are certain vibrant colors that come into the fashion scene. Being in New York we’re always stuck into wearing black all the time, but when you go to other places like Miami we’re so use to color. I like to let people know that it’s okay to infuse and put a pop of color into your outfit. Sometimes I’ll have an idea in mind and I’ll sketch something. I also realized that some designs I started playing around with - like that fans they weren’t popular until a year after and then it became a trend. Even flipping through different magazines and seeing what styles are trending. Being around nature also gives me a lot of inspiration. There’s so much beautiful colors in nature and it helps make me feel alive, and clarity comes to me.

KT:

Recently you purchased one of our best sellers ‘Yours, fragrance’ what was it about the scent that attracted you.

SL:

When I purchase fragrances I don’t like anything that’s too strong or potent. I’m also very sensitive to smell so a lot of the fragrances I do wear they are subtle, bold but smell good and I think that’s what drew me to the scent.

KT:

Do you have any new projects that you want to inform people about?

SL:

We have our heritage pride collection, so originally I was focusing on like the Americas, Latin America and we’re very big on carnival and representing our country. So I would make jewelry that represents the colors of those countries. Then I was receiving interest from other countries that wanted to be represented as well. So we’re expanding the collection to be more worldly. Right now we’re focusing on collaborations, we do have a photoshoot coming up. As a brand we are looking to expand our client base and do customize orders with other businesses, stores, cultural institutions & associations.  We love to align with other business owners with similar vision, creativity, and mission.

KT:

Any words of encouragement for other #girlbosses out there who want to turn their hobby into reality, but afraid to take that risk?

SL:

I think that every idea is a seed, you have to get over that fear. Most of the time we doubt ourselves and don’t take that first step. And you really need to believe in yourself. First ask yourself why do you want to do this, because it is a lot of work and if you want to grow you have to take that first step.  Always remember to pace yourself and celebrate your small wins. Don’t be afraid to start, as long as you have the passion - go for it!

We know you felt that! Make sure you check out Sasha's gems on her website, and share this blog to all your #girlboss friends.