It may be some version of “back to school” for a great many of us, but others are still in vacation mode, perhaps planning one last long-weekend trip or just making the most of the sun and sand if they are lucky enough to live near the beach.
The Hamptons on New York’s Long Island are always a great place to do just that, and Renna, the line by designer Renna Brown-Taher, has made quite the splash this summer at Mayfair Rocks, the jewelry boutique owned by Lauren Kulchinsky Levison in East Hampton, N.Y.
A quick survey of the line, with its shell motfis, Little Mermaid references, pearls, and blue and green gemstones, makes it easy to understand why.
“Renna has been an addicting addition to our 2020 collection,” says Levison. “You may not need to bring sand to the beach, but our Mayfair ladies are definitely bringing Renna’s shell stud earrings and signature bracelets.”
The Thread and Shell bracelet is just one example and is of particular interest here because Brown-Taher has created a limited-edition, blue topaz version (pictured below) with 100% of the proceeds going to benefit Free Arts NYC. The charity helps underserved youth through art and mentoring programs, and Brown-Taher has been a longtime supporter.
“Now more than ever, I wanted to find a meaningful way to help Free Arts NYC,” says the designer, who credits her inspiration to a coffee bean shell (aka Niveria pediculus, a cousin to the cowrie shell) she and her mother once found on a beach in Laguna, Calif.
“Nearly 50% of the organization’s youth are currently living in shelters, and as many of these children prepare to return to school, they will still experience disrupted schedules and limited extracurricular activities as a result of the pandemic. The organization’s incredible work of supporting and empowering [them] through the arts will undoubtedly have a heightened need.”
Brown-Taher grew up in Pacific Palisades, Calif., received her B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, and is a GIA-certified Graduate Gemologist. She also worked in the jewelry department of Sotheby’s for five years before launching her jewelry line in 2017. (A section of her website is devoted to a small but mighty collection of vintage finds by Fred Leighton, Chanel, and others.)
She currently resides in New York City, where the entire collection is handcrafted in the Diamond District.
The charity bracelet is no exception and first made its debut at a weekend trunk show with fashion designer Cynthia Rowley in her Montauk, N.Y., boutique. Later in September, Brown-Taher will host an intimate, by-appointment shopping event in her Sag Harbor, N.Y., home with another big-name fashion brand: Proenza Schouler.
More from Renna below. Shell ya later!
Top: Renna goodies sold at Mayfair Rocks in East Hampton, N.Y., clockwise, from left: Bitsy Ursula stud with emerald in 18k yellow gold, $330; Bitsy Bean stud with aquamarine in 18k white gold, $330; Bitsy Bean stud with diamond in 18k yellow gold, $380; and Vintage charm bracelet with shell charms in 18k yellow gold, $12,900
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