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Within the Baker & Black collection resides an homage to the great American jewelry houses of the 1900’s. Designer Megan Black synthesizes ancestral attitudes towards jewelry, with a contemporary design aesthetic, and she’s definitely the person you want to be standing next to when the needle hits the record!
JA New York: How would you describe your brand to someone who is not familiar with it? Give us your “elevator pitch!”
Megan Baker: Bold, moody and a bit avant garde, Baker & Black’s jewels have a retro vein while still feeling completely original.
JA New York: Do you have a particular wearer in mind when you’re designing?
MB: I don’t have anyone in mind while designing, but I think ultimately Baker & Black appeals to women with a strong sense of self; she’s witty and a little feisty.
JA New York: What is your biggest source of design inspiration?
MB: The arts. My favorite aspect of living in NYC is access to all of the best art museums and galleries in the world. I am sometimes overwhelmed by all of the shows I want to see. My jewels are very colorful and I often find a lot of inspiration for my palettes from painting. I am always taking note of unusual color choices. The recently closed Kerry James Marshall retrospective at Met Breuer really knocked my socks off and has been on my mind ever since I saw it.
JA New York: What is one thing that can always make you smile?
MB: My husband (and business partner). There is A LOT of laughter in our household. Thank goodness.
JA New York: If you could be a TV/ Movie villain who would you be and why?
MB: He’s not quite a villain and I’m not sure I would want to *be* him but I am very drawn to Pete Campbell of Mad Men. I am fascinated by his character and have a lot of sympathy for him despite his many shortcomings. Everyone always hates him, but I think he might be my favorite character.
JA New York: If you could spend one day in somebody else’s shoes, whom would it be and why?
MB: Ruth Bader Ginsberg! I am a political news junkie and would love a peak inside the beltway. I am so curious about the private deliberations between the justices. Plus she is a personal hero and justice warrior. And she looks good doing it! She has great jewelry and I love how she uses fashion to express herself—she has a special jabot that she wears when issuing dissenting opinions.
JA New York: Do you have a “special skill” that people don’t know about?
MB: Axl Rose snake dance. My husband and I went as Slash and Axl for Halloween one year and I broke into the snake dance and he was mighty surprised. And impressed.
Registration for JA New York Spring is now open! Use this link to register to attend. Your JA New York badge will also give you access to MJSA Expo and the Antique Watch and Jewelry Show, LUEUR, which are co-located at the Javits Center.