Gold medallions and badges from uncles in the army, gem-encrusted brooches, and crucifixes. Playing dress up in her mom's stuff. That's how Los Angeles-based emerging talent Ninaki Priddy—the girl whose big, sculptural rings we've all been lusting after here at Gen Art for a while now and an accessories finalist in our Styles 2008 competition—first became interested in jewelry design.

Inspired by everything from half-finished structures to childhood movies like "The Goonies" to her love affair with surrealism, Priddy shapes the pieces in her eponymous line by carving a master out of alabaster stone. "I find a vein in the stone that appeals to me, and sometimes I chase it," explains the Southern California Institute of Architecture graduate. "Other times I'll freehand a drawing and reinterpret it into a 3-D element."

The resulting collection of silver and 18-karat gold rings springs from one form which Priddy fluidly transformed into 17 unique pieces; each chunky, over-the-top, and totally fabulous ring is named for and inspired by a person in her life and plays with the interaction of space between its wearer and the outside world.

Next up this David Bowie-loving designer says she's launching a new collection that will include necklaces and free-standing sculptures with a more digital twist, made using rapid-prototyping techniques: "It's going to be very Dali meets disco." We're not sure exactly what that will look like, but based on her previous work, we can't wait to find out!

For prices and ordering information, please send an email to hola@ninaki.com.

- Caroline Stanley

Similar Topics:accessories, jewelry, Styles 2008

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