Jewelry designer Bliss Lau on finding inspiration in her heritage, New York City and more
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Even if you don't know Bliss Lau's name, you have certainly seen her work. Her big break came courtesy of none other than Beyoncé, whose stylist Lysa Cooper -- "a visionary," says Lau -- styled the singer in a Bliss Lau original body chain for the 2013 "Drunk in Love" video.
While this type of career-making moment is exhilarating, Lau's story began several years prior.
"I started designing bodychains in 2006, long before they were recognized as an accessory," she told "GMA" in a follow-up email after a recent tour of her Dumbo, Brooklyn studio. "I was excited to introduce something new and show the pieces. But when I presented the designs to stores, I was literally laughed at. They didn’t think anyone would wear them. It was heartbreaking."
The tides have since turned, of course. Body chains have exploded in popularity and been worn by more of Lau's celebrity clientele, including Padma Lakshmi, Hilary Duff, Naomi Campbell, Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez and Jihae.
"To this day I call body chains 'sensual armor,'" she said proudly. "They live in the space between jewelry and lingerie -- a mingling of sexiness and strength, intimacy and self-expression."
"When Beyoncé wore my pieces, it was a reminder: Stay true to a vision, and the right audience will find it," she added. "Ideas closest to your heart, even if misunderstood, can become the most powerful."
Artistic beginnings
Long before she was creating "sensual armor," Lau was a child in Hawaii carrying around a little blue Tiffany's Catalog she adored, a habit that foreshadowed her studies as a apparel design student at Parson School of Design in New York City. After graduating in 2003, she launched her first commercial endeavor: A line of unique, beautiful handbags featuring fan shapes, pleats and metal details.
"I loved designing handbags, but after some time, my creative ideas started going in new directions," she recalled. "I started experimenting, making body chains using the leftover chain from my bags. From there, jewelry was a natural evolution, and looking back, it was inevitable, reconnecting me to where it all started."
Levitate Sterling Silver Drop Earrings - Versatile Jewelry for Women, 2 7/8" Long Waterfall Design
- $275
- Bliss Lau
"A few years into launching my jewelry brand, my now-husband proposed to me with a sketchbook, inviting me to design my own engagement ring," she continued. "That moment became a turning point, marking the beginning of my work in engagement and custom jewelry. Being a part of happy moments in so many people's lives, helping them wear their story, is a continual source of joy and creative inspiration."
How Lau's Asian American heritage impacts her work
Another important source of inspiration for Lau is where her heritage and place of origin intersects with her life as a longtime New Yorker.
"My biracial Asian American heritage informs everything I create," she said, citing her jade creations as some of the most important among her work and part of an East Asian tradition that stayed with her.
Seen as a talisman of protection, Lau recalled wearing a jade bracelet as a child and seeing her "aunties" treasure their own jade pieces.
The stone took on new meaning when her father died, when she said she started using jade more frequently "as a way to reconnect-with my memory, my heritage and with him."
Lau's AS WE ARE collection is meant to represent the interaction of heritage and future by reimagining jadeite, traditionally called "fei cui," through two powerful stones: black jadeite and Mayan heritage lavender jadeite.
"The black jade symbolizes our strength and ancestral roots," she explained. "The lavender jade represents aspirations, healing and the acceptance of self."
As for New York, Lau is constantly inspired by her chosen home through its "energy, architecture and constant motion."
For example: One popular piece in her collection, the Pave Cusp Ring, uses draped chain and a delicate pave band to mimic the shape of the Brooklyn Bridge.
Weaving intention into every piece
Something that sets Bliss Lau apart as a brand and a person is intentionality. She said she believes jewelry, being crafted from Earth's most precious materials, represents "a connection to our planet."
"I believe that every decision in the jewelry creation process can be made with respect for the earth," she said, adding, "Responsible sourcing is an idea at the core of everything we do. This means that the origin of our diamonds, gemstones and precious metals are traceable and transparent."
This ethos landed Lau the honor of a lifetime when her brand was selected to join the United Nations Fashion and Lifestyle Network alongside brands like Swarovski and Pandora. The partnership organization is committed to supporting the UN'’s 17 interconnected Sustainable Development Goals, including affordable and clean energy, gender equality, zero hunger and no poverty.
"It fosters collaboration, innovation and responsible business practices to drive positive change in the fashion and lifestyle industries," she said of the UNFLN. "Becoming a part of the UNFLN community has been eye opening; our partners are leading the change in so many industries. It is inspiring and beautiful to be a part of."
Tips for making your jewelry purchase special
Lau's ultimate goal in creating beautiful and meaningful pieces is simple.
"Whether [customers] choose one of our ready-to-ship items like our Halo Necklace, customize one of our signature rings like The Futurist for an engagement, or create a completely bespoke treasure, my intention is always the same: to create something that reflects who they are," she said.
"My greatest hope is that the piece expresses their true self, confident and grounded in their own story, and that, over time, the jewelry becomes part of the memories they carry forward," she said.
