We catch up with jewellery designer to the stars, Suzanne Kalan, during her trip to Dubai to talk diamonds, gifting and fireworks.
By Natalie Trevis
LA-based jewellery designer Suzanne Kalan is travelling around the Middle East with her latest collection, Fireworks, making clients for life and selling out her beautifully eclectic baguette diamond pieces along the way. Stocked at S*uce Rocks in Dubai, Kalan’s jewellery has adorned stars from Rihanna to Katy Perry and Chrissy Teigen, making her a permanent red carpet purveyor of contemporary sparkles in signature diamonds, topaz and opal. With contemporary convertible earrings, bar rings and vitrine rings of giant gems underneath which multiple diamonds are nestled, Kalan’s line truly caters to every taste. We catch up with the designer at her Dubai presentation, just in time to pick out the perfect party season jewels.
Your designs are really popular all over the world, what’s your secret?
I think about what I would need from a piece of jewellery. That’s the first thing that comes to my mind, what do I need? And someone like me. And then someone who’s not exactly like me. I think my customer is almost everybody. That’s why my collection is so varied and I have a wide range of price points and sizes.
And very appealing to women of all ages?
I think if a mother, who is probably my age, is buying something for herself, she would want something for her daughter too. I want everybody to be able to buy my jewellery and I want them to be able to use the product, not put it away in a safe.
What's the defining feature of this new collection?
Our baguettes. The way I decided to set them is something I came up with that I’m so proud of. Traditionally, baguettes are set and lined up next to each other and it’s boring. Baguettes are beautiful stones but you couldn’t see the shape of them the way they would be set in the past. Now, each little diamond stands out. And then you have this organic, edgy, different look that you can dress up or dress down. We call it fireworks – I’m really, really proud of my baguettes.
I notice some very contemporary touches in the collection, with the bar ring and the ear cuffs, is that something you gravitate towards?
I love earrings but unfortunately I can’t wear them. I love our styles and every type of earring we make I would wear if I could. I’m sad about that. I love long earrings, I love little dangles, studs, everything. As far as the double ring, I think that one’s exciting. I’m not into things that are temporary: I like to see people wearing the jewellery.
The jewellery industry is starting to move as quickly as fashion, are you already looking ahead to the next collection?
I did start but I think it will change a lot by the time it’s done. But what I want to do is - of course add to this collection, make more bangles, wider, narrower, less expensive - but also I want to mix in round diamonds. I’ve made one sample so far. It’s here, but I think I really need to work on that.
