Artists Know Best: The Supreme Silversmith, Martine Ali
Image via Coveteur.com
Forever scouring the “interwebs” looking for inspiration, I’m particularly on the lookout for artists doing the damn thing. I love hearing stories of creatives who managed to make their passion into their life work. Recently I found out about Martine Ali. She caught my interest initially because she has designed jewelry for Kendrick Lamar, however she stocks her creations at Opening Ceremony among others. I’ll get more into that after the jump!
So why is Martine Ali cool? Well for starters, she decided to take her career in her own hands and quit her cushy full-time job at DKNY to do so. As she explained to Coveteur magazine, “I was wearing my own jewelry around the office and the fashion editor saw it, loved it, and then I started doing jewelry for the runway. I did it for a couple of seasons, and then I was like, ‘I’m going to do this for myself.” Although DKNY did help her gain her confidence in going solo. Some of her designs even made it to the runway!
Image via Opening Ceremony
After a few years of steady work and trying to get her name out there, her jewelry landed on the cover of Teen Vogue’s August 2014 issue via singer Kesha’s wrists. Soon after her pieces caught the attention of one of the more outspoken fashionistas, singer Lady Gaga. Such huge exposure got her noticed by the hyper cool retailer Opening Ceremony. Since then her popularity amongst stockiest have grown and as if the floodgates have opened, she now places collections at Sneakerhead Ronnie Fieg’s shop Kith and trendy, minimalist boutique Assembly L.A. and N.Y.
Image via Facebook.com
Stylistically teetering the line of goth, minimalist, tomboy and hip-hop, I most certainly dig her pieces. They straddle that aesthetic and I see why people are interested. So interested, that she can add another medal of honor to her list. Since his DAMN project released, Ms. Ali has been blessing rapper Kendrick Lamar with her awesome jewelry pieces and he is making sure they get good ware. I mean, calm girl, you are on a roll. As with everything, her hard work has paid off and her only request as of now is to one day get songstress Rihanna wearing a piece or two.
Can’t get enough of Martine Ali, catch her at the following:
Website – www.martineali.com
Instagram – @martineali
Twitter – @martineali
