Pamela Love, the native New Yorker jewelry designer who puts her signature stacked rings on the fingers of celebs such as Zoe Kravitz, has opened her first standalone store. She is one of six designers selected by the Council of Fashion Designers of America to open a retail pop-up shop under the mentorship of fashion industry experts.
Retail Lab can be found in the global headquarters of Cadillac, which partnered with CFDA to give the designers an empty slate to customize as their own. It’s Love’s first experience having a retail space, and the first chance her customers have had to see how she curates things and how she sets the energy of a space. Love is known for making magic with bold looks like stacked rings and ear cuffs, and she has a modern take on how to buy jewelry.
Buy Your Favorite First
“We try to have price ranges for everybody at the store, but in terms of style, I try to tell people making their first big jewelry purchase to go for something that they’ll wear every single day,” Love said. She thinks a lot of her customers buying their first piece from her are selecting edgier pieces than she would have expected. “But if it’s what you love, you’ll wear it every day.”
Find Your Signature Stone
“If you need a certain type of energy or direction in your life, look at the stones that correspond with your intentions. You’ll probably find they’re also the ones you like the most,” she said. Love’s favorite stone to wear is opal. She says, “they’re the most magical stones to put into your life. I absolutely believe that certain stones attract different energies.”
Avoid Hair and Earring Collisions
Love has figured out earring shapes that look great but don’t get tangled in her hair. She also usually pulls her hair back when she’s wearing big earrings. “You can also do the thing where you pull your hair up, put your earrings in, and then let your hair down around them,” she said.
Embrace the Past
The jewelry designer loves vintage jewelry because she likes the energy of everyone who’s worn the jewelry before she wears the piece. “You become part of the [jewelry’s] story, which is bigger than just you.”
Listen to Your Obsessions
Love wants to fill her house with mid-century wicker chairs, and she is obsessed with pottery. “Usually when I love something, eventually it comes out in my designs or my future style,” she said.
Read More: Style Secrets Learned from Pamela Love