Pamela Love on Embracing a Rebellious Spirit in Jewelry Design

      Welcome to The Who What Wear Podcast, your direct connection to the designers, stylists, beauty experts, editors, and influencers shaping the fashion and beauty landscape. You can subscribe to The Who What Wear Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Pamela Love did not always have a passion for jewelry. "At first, I really wasn't a fan of jewelry. My mother loved it, but her style was quite basic," Love shared. As she entered her teenage years, her attitude changed, and she began crafting jewelry from various found objects. "I started making jewelry out of things I could scavenge, finding clever methods to embellish myself," Love explained. "Perhaps it was a rebellion against what I saw as a conventional approach to jewelry." In 2007, Love established her eponymous jewelry line, leading to her current success. In the latest episode of The Who What Wear Podcast, Love discusses her journey, her thoughts on some of her signature designs, the possibility of mixing metals, and much more. For highlights from their discussion, keep reading.

      Can you tell us how your love for jewelry developed? Initially, I wasn't fond of jewelry at all. My mother had a penchant for it, but her pieces were very traditional—diamond tennis bracelets and classic items, mostly just diamonds. The bigger, the better, whether they were real or fake; everything had a very standard prong setting vibe. I found it somewhat dull and formulaic, thinking, "I'm not into jewelry. I'm not a jewelry person." As I aged a bit—around 14 or 15—I began to create jewelry from various found materials. I was crafting pieces from scavenged items, discovering creative ways to accessorize myself, possibly as a form of rebellion against the conventional concept of jewelry. Fast forward, I now adore diamonds and enjoy working with high-quality materials, but during my tween and teen years, I was fascinated by the process of making jewelry and expressing myself in unique, hands-on ways. I'm not sure if there was a specific moment when I fell in love or if it gradually developed over the years to the point that by the time I graduated from college, I was fully consumed by my passion for jewelry. I have to mention my five spike ear jacket style; I thought, "These earrings are amazing." They represented a large part of my identity for a significant time. Do you consider that piece one of your iconic designs? Yes, it was a best-seller for quite a while. The story behind it is rather amusing. We used to create a necklace featuring a carved skull in turquoise, jade, and carnelian, with a little spike at the bottom. When making large quantities, you don't cast just one piece; you create a casting tree, meaning the mold produces six or eight at once. One day, while watching them come out of the mold all connected, I thought, "This could make for an interesting earring and might work well behind the ear." We often joked, "Jewelry happens." It was a true "Jewelry happens" moment, and it turned out to be a very popular style.

      Pamela Love's Five Spike Earrings

      Your collection offers a wide variety of stunning pieces, making it easy for anyone to find something that resonates with their personality or perspective. I'm curious about which styles have gained the most popularity. In 2020, we introduced a piercing line, a new category featuring earrings that typically have a threaded back or push-back for easy piercing, alongside smaller huggies and clickers. This line has become a significant part of the business. Our Brooklyn store also offers piercing services, which have gained immense popularity. I would say the piercing collection has really expanded and is a substantial element of our brand. Additionally, our bespoke engagement ring collection allows me to work closely with many clients.

      Pamela Love's 4mm Molten Double Dot Stud

      Pamela Love's 10mm Dot Huggie

      Pamela Love's Molten Eternity Band

      Pamela Love's Alexander Signet Ring

      This interview has been shortened and edited for clarity.