KIKA ALVARENGA

The Jewelry Edit had the opportunity to talk to Kika Alvarenga.

What is the name of your company?

Kika Alvarenga

How did you come up with the concept for your company?

It was a long process that started with undergraduate studies in fine art, then a career in fashion that led to working in jewelry. I see jewelry as sculpture inspired by the body, and I’m inspired by its fluidity—combined with the eternal statement that jewelry can be.

Where do you look for inspiration when designing pieces?

Beyond the body, I look to the soul and emotions. I’m also inspired by my culture and the environment here in Brazil. The external is the mirror of my internal, and the internal is the mirror of the external.

What are your favorite types of pieces to design?

Rings and bracelets.

What’s your favorite type of material to wear/work with?

A gold ring given to me by my mom.

How would you describe your style?

Simple, sophisticated, yet casual.

Who/what are your biggest style influences?

People in general and nature.

What was the first piece of jewelry you remember buying for yourself?

A matte gold ring.

What’s the most special piece of jewelry you own? What’s the story behind it?

My mom’s ring. I grew up in love with that specific ring, and my mom gave it to me a few months before passing away. The shocking part is that she was healthy and died suddenly. The ring holds that magic and meaning for me.

What’s one piece of jewelry you wear often, that you can’t live without?

My mother’s ring and one of the first bracelets I designed. I hammered it onto my arm and it never comes off!

How many pieces of jewelry do you usually wear at any given time? What are they?

My mother’s ring and my hammered bracelet. On my other hand, some stacked rings, including one on my pinky. I wear the same earrings every day—I call them my eternal earrings. They are medium-sized hoops with various sizes of cognac diamonds. They look like the sun!

What’s on your jewelry wish-list?

I don’t have a jewelry wish-list.

Why do you think it’s important for people to wear/own jewelry?

They are a statement about ourselves. They are eternal, and they can tell beautiful stories and become heirlooms.

What’s something people should keep in mind when shopping for jewelry?

Just fall in love with what you are purchasing.

What draws customers in to purchase jewelry from your collection?

Uniqueness and exquisiteness drive my clients to come to my collection.