California DREAMS

BRAND: gorjana

LOCATION: Laguna Beach, CA

FOUNDER: Gorjana and Jason Reidel

FOUNDED IN: 2004

HOW DID YOUR BRAND BEGIN? Jason and I met at ASU and started dating after college. We talked about working together on our second date, but did not start our journey until a few years later. We both had different jobs and were tossing around a bunch of business ideas. Creating jewelry was something I was doing for fun and to get by until we figured out the “big idea.” It came very naturally for us to work together. We just combined our individual strengths. During our first year, we hit the road with samples in tow and drove a collective 50,000 miles to sell the initial collection. We filled our orders from our apartment floor and we worked the trade show circuit as a team of two. We made it work until we could hire our first employees.

HOW HAVE YOU GROWN SINCE? I was 22 when we started and could not afford any high-end jewelry, so I started designing pieces for myself and my friends that were high quality, but at a more approachable price point. Since then, we’ve opened 50 retail stores across the U.S. and expanded into a range of fine materials such as solid gold, diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, and opals. It’s been an amazing evolution.

WHICH PIECES ARE IDEAL FOR PASSING DOWN? I love all of our personal designs— charms, diamond pavé alphabet bracelets, solid gold zodiac necklaces and birthstones... these are all such meaningful pieces that can be worn to honor loved ones and passed down for generations to come.

HOW DO YOU DESIGN NEW PIECES? Design is always such a fun process and never really the same. I get inspired by different things all the time. Sometimes it’s a certain gemstone, fun outfit, or a cool pattern I see and want to incorporate into a design. I am also really influ- enced by the Southern California lifestyle and the more relaxed culture. The process is never the same, but that’s what keeps us motivated and creative.

WHAT IS YOUR BRAND BEST KNOWN FOR? We’re known for timeless designs that layer well together whether they’re new or a few years old. This allows our customers to create their own unique looks by mixing and matching pieces they’ve loved forever alongside newer items. Our most popular necklaces are adjustable and we offer extenders so that customers can customize the length of the various chains. We recently designed solid gold charms which add a personal touch to chain necklaces as well.

WHAT IS YOUR PERSONAL EVERYDAY JEWELRY LINE UP? For everyday, I wear my 14k Gold Diamond Parker Necklace paired with a colorful piece like our Peruvian Opals or Turquoise and a simple chain like the 14k Gold Micro Mini Venice Necklace, which has a really cool textural element. I love to rotate out our fun, seasonal fashion jewelry depending on my outfit, occasion, and mood.

WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN THE WORKS? I am so excited for August's new arrivals. We've been rapidly expanding our fine jewelry assortment and customers have been requesting 14k charms for a while. We've finally delivered and they are SO good, and really meaningful, collectable pieces. The charms can be worn on various 14k gold chains we offer and we also designed some new necklaces to pair with them as well.