Artist, gemologist, and branding whiz Hannah Becker, a.k.a. Diamondoodles, has a been a whimsical presence on the jewelry scene for years.

You might not recognize her in person, but you’ve probably seen her clever and stylish “doodles”—custom illustrations that incorporate gemstones and jewelry (see the bejeweled hamburger below). Brands including Kara Ross, Gemfields, and For Future Reference have commissioned Becker’s artistry for their marketing endeavors.

But if all goes according to plan, you’ll soon be recognizing the 29-year-old in person, too. Last week Becker officially stepped out from behind the scenes to debut an initiative she hopes may jump-start a conversation about the lack of size-inclusivity in the jewelry industry.

ThickFacets, a new recurring feature on her website (and soon on Instagram), showcases photos of Becker styled in her favorite jewelry and clothing.

“I’m challenging myself to do a monthly feature pairing plus-sized clothing with jewelry that inspires me,” she wrote in a blog post announcing the project, and added, “I’m also issuing a call to all the curvy ladies of the jewelry industry to collaborate on this project, so if you want in send me an email. Rome wasn’t built in a day, but seeing more ‘normal’ non-model bodies online has really helped me connect with brands and their products. Hopefully my pairings of bigger bodies with beautiful jewelry will help more women connect with the jewelry brands I love and be inspired to expand their horizons when it comes to personal style.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BnGy5ysHrWD/

The post that introduced ThickFacets on @diamondoodles

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bm1KMbjHZGb/?taken-by=diamondoodles

A burger with gemstone lettuce—one of Becker’s recent doodles

The artist shares that she’s recently been inspired by plus-size fashion influencers on Instagram who “have kind of gotten to that ‘I don’t give a f**k’ place, which is where you need to get to start [accepting yourself],” she says. “I’ve truly always been a thick, plus-sized person. And over the past year I’ve been trying to be less hard on myself as a plus-sized woman in this world.”

While the fashion industry has made major strides in size-inclusivity—with big brands including American Eagle, Madewell, and J.Crew recently extending their sizing range—Becker perceives the jewelry industry as lagging behind in its representation of women of all sizes.

And ultimately she realized, “There’s nobody trying to push diversity and plus-size visibility in the industry,” she says. “After all these years…I’ve gotten to a point where I can be that person.”

But that bravery has come with some self-conscious hand-wringing, she adds. “The night before I posted the project, I was like, ‘Oh no, my male followers are going to weirded out by this,'” she recalls. “But then I reminded myself that…I don’t need to be concerned about the male gaze.”

And the feedback so far has been overwhelmingly positive. “I had zero negative responses to announcing the project,” she says. “And this came from people who were both plus- and straight-sized in the industry, who are ready to see the industry embrace a more well-rounded viewpoint.”

Her wish list of things she’d like to see change in the industry includes greater size diversity in the jewelry media, in jewelry advertising, and in the models hired to showcase jewelry at trade shows and other industry events.

“I also want plus-size influencers to stop wearing only crappy jewelry—so I would love to create some crossover with that,” she says with a laugh. “I don’t think influencers should think they have to wear 25 base metal jewelry necklaces in order to look great.”

And brands willing to embrace size inclusivity will likely be rewarded in their bottom lines, she asserts.

“From a business standpoint, if you put some of your jewelry on a larger woman, women might realize they won’t look like a doofus in your jewelry,” she says. “And if women see women who look like them in your advertising or marketing, they might just be more inclined to buy; I can’t tell you how much money, as a consumer, I’ve spent just to support businesses who get it. This can only be a good thing for our industry.”

Top photo: Hannah Becker in her first ThickFacets post (courtesy of Hannah Becker)

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