L.A-Based artist, Lillian Shalom is making waves in the fashion blogosphere with her jewelry line with its influences of Art Nouveau and ancient archeology twisted with Rock N Roll. The bold avant-garde jewelry line is revolutionizing the fashion industry as we know it and has flourished across the world of blogging. Founder, Lillian Shalom is an innovator of a new aesthetic in fashion and art. In this day in age where non-conformity has become conformists, Lillian Shalom Jewelry pieces stand out from the rest: you can literally pick them out of a crowd from a mile away. Their distinct style is filled with detail, chicness and personality, which translates to both an art statement as well as a piece of jewelry you wear. The jewelry, which can be categorized as artistic sculpture, balances a look that is as fierce and as edgy as they come, while still being dainty and beautiful. As a first-generation American and the daughter of two Iranian immigrants, Lillian Shalom struggled for years to reconcile the two starkly different cultures. She constantly had one foot in the world her family was from and another foot in the world into which she was born Rather than fight it, Shalom, a 31-year-old Los Angeles native, found a medium that allowed her to blend those two worlds: jewelry design, ultimately leading to her current line, Lillian Shalom, created in 2011. This dichotomy within her own identity gave her a passion for dualities and contradictions, showcased both in her materials and in her design.
“My pieces are loud. As a Persian female, you’re taught not to be more aggressive or more masculine than the man. You’re supposed to stay feminine and delicate and quiet and I’m the opposite of all of those things by nature. I’ve always wanted to portray something feminine (with jewelry), but with a masculine edge. I want to put out strong pieces that also have a beautiful edge. One of my pieces I call Zaboon, which means ‘tongue’ in Farsi. It has a very sharp, spear edge, but it’s set with a really beautiful, delicate pearl.”
— Lillian Shalom
Lillian Shalom’s background includes photography, music, and a Bachelor in Fine Arts, specializing in Painting from Otis College of Art + Design. Shalom’s work translates themes from the Aesthetic and Decadent movement into contemporary pieces. As an avid collector of objects and oddities from distant lands and bygone eras, nostalgia lingers in all aspects of her work. Inspiration is drawn from ancient archaeology, medieval armor to Art Nouveau and her Persian roots delicately combined with futuristic materials resulting in intricate yet bold wearable art. Pearls, taxidermy beetles, emeralds, opals, thermal activated vinyl, are a few of the opulent materials used to create the “objects d’art” found in her collections. Shalom’s alchemistic approach towards metalwork combined with delicate rare objects found in nature, play with her repeating themes of duality. The overall expression of Shalom’s work is bold yet sensual pieces with themes of ancient ideology being worn in a modern time.
Through five collections, Lillian has created statement rings, earrings, necklaces, ear cuffs, and clutches. Her most recognizable, staple pieces include Galileo, an armor ring covering the entire finger, and Nietzsche, an armor ring set with a real taxidermic scarab beetle. “Using real beetles is a new concept. I had never seen that done in modern jewelry. I had seen it done in Victorian jewelry. I thought I had tapped into something very unique,” she says. Her pieces, which range in price from $180 and can go into the thousands for custom jobs, have appeared in magazines including Vogue, InStyle, V Magazine and Schön.
Lillian’s revolutionary jewelry collection assimilates contrast and irony of visuals: the designs have a signature tough and stagnant graphic appeal that balance and accentuate the lavish femininity. Her innovative method to design led her to discover and create a vision from whimsical and analytical character. At the core of her designs, you can find Lillian’s flair for vintage and timelessness. She has a full mind of ideas and self-expressions and is constantly striving for the pursuit of perfection. Lillian is an artist in every sense of the word: she also happens to be a classically trained oil painter, which shines through in all of her detailed and ornate designs.
She strives to continue to signify art as well as fashion, function, and luxury. The contemporary art world is vibrant and booming like never before and it’s a twenty-first-century phenomenon, a global industry in its own right. Contemporary artists seek the power to astonish, challenge and satisfy: the brand of Lillian Shalom achieves all of these things. She is an artist of fashion, design, and lifestyle. As time goes on Lillian will continue to delve deeper into the beautiful world of fashion, beauty, and blogging by utilizing a wide range of mediums and materials while taking an intimate approach to art direction and purpose. I for one am looking forward to seeing what Lillian accomplishes next!
For more info, visit her website: http://lillianshalom.com/
Follow her on Instagram: @lillianshalom
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Lillian-Shalom-Jewelry-263381647022512/
