Founder Rosanne Karmes has the golden touch
In 2001, Angeleno Rosanne Karmes founded jewelry brand Sydney Evan, named after her two kids. She wanted women to have pieces that made them feel happy and confident.
Twenty-five years later — with Daryl Hannah, Miley Cyrus, Pink and Lauren Conrad as clients, and Wicked and Erewhon collaborations under her belt — Karmes’ intuition that women want to buy themselves jewelry proved more than accurate.
“It’s hard to believe it has been 25 years,” says Karmes, who always wears the brand’s red beaded bracelet with a diamond hamsa, an emblem of protection. “What began as a small collection of meaningful charms has grown into an entire world of jewelry filled with sentiment, protection, love, laughter and so much more.”
Kate Moss dons a Sydney Evan custom script “Kate” necklace on the December 2014 cover of British VogueCredit: Courtesy Sydney Evan
Sydney Evan makes bracelets, earrings, necklaces, rings and body jewelry in 14k gold and diamonds, with popular items like “Love” script necklaces and bracelets, beaded gemstone bracelets with charms and evil eye pendants. Since shifting the narrative beyond the idea that jewelry is reserved for gift-giving and special occasions, Karmes is looking to jump on the next big consumer move.
“I see women returning to the smaller designs I created when I first started,” she says. “When I launched the brand, gold was around $600 an ounce; today, it is hovering around $4,500. That makes it much harder for women, especially younger women, to purchase fine jewelry for themselves. I’m focused on creating pieces at a range of price points so there is something for everyone.”
Sydney Evan Classic Punk collection ringCredit: Courtesy Sydney Evan
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In the meantime, the jewelry label is commemorating with a number of collections featuring celebratory designs — all adhering to a “Love All Around” theme — to be released throughout fall and winter, including Confetti Disco, Champagne Cheers, Tuxedo and Classic Punk.
While the milestone marks a big moment for the brand, Karmes hopes it ultimately inspires other women to know that when you stay focused, work hard and do the right thing, anything is possible.
“I’m proud that I built Sydney Evan as a woman coming from a world where women were rarely in positions of power,” she says. “Even as a little girl, I never believed I was less capable than a man, and I never let anything stop me from pursuing what I wanted.”