Karen Curtis doesn’t just design jewelry: she composes in color. From her New York studio, the designer builds pieces that feel instinctive yet exacting, where saturated crystals, vintage references, and sculptural form come together with a kind of quiet precision. Many of her materials such as rare Swarovski crystals sourced in original packaging, carry a history of their own, some dating back to the 1930s. In Curtis’s hands, they’re reworked into something entirely contemporary: luminous, dimensional, and meant to be lived in.

Before launching her namesake line, Curtis worked as a colorist for Halston, a role that continues to inform her approach today. There’s a sensitivity to tone and balance that runs through her work; an understanding that a single shift in color can transform not just a look, but a feeling. Her process follows that same logic: instinct first, structure second. The result is jewelry that feels both effortless and intentional, striking a balance between statement and wearability without ever leaning too far in either direction.

It’s this tension, between past and present, glamour and ease, object and emotion that defines her brand. Her clients call it “happy jewelry,” pieces that catch the light, shift the mood, and elevate the everyday without overthinking it.

Here, Curtis talks about building a brand rooted in color, the intimacy of designing for the body, and why modern jewelry is less about rules and more about how you choose to wear it.

Tell us the story on how you started your jewelry brand?

I started my jewelry brand through my love of color. Before this, I was a fashion designer and textile artist, working as a colorist designing scarves for Halston. That experience shaped how I see everything - color has the power to completely transform a look, a mood, a presence.

At a certain point, I knew I wanted to take that creativity and build something of my own. I began working with Swarovski crystal because it allowed me to fully explore color in a way that felt vibrant and dimensional. What started as a passion evolved into a brand built around handcrafted, limited-edition and one-of-a-kind pieces made in New York City.

I bridge fashion and fine jewelry by using crystals with sterling silver and 14k gold-filled metals to create pieces that feel luxurious, but still expressive and wearable.

What’s your background in jewelry making?

I started making jewelry as a young teenager at Buck's Rock Camp, where I later became a metalsmithing instructor. That foundation gave me a strong understanding of structure and form. With my background in fashion and color, I then taught myself beading and wire work.

What defines my process now is the combination of both technical precision and a clear point of view. Every piece is constructed with intention, down to how each bead shape and color sits beside the next.

Where do you draw inspiration to create your collections?

Color is always the starting point. I see it everywhere - light, architecture, nature, the way tones shift throughout the day. I’m also drawn to vintage glamour. Some of my earliest influences were bold crystal pieces passed down in my family from the flapper era - strong, feminine, unapologetic. That idea of taking something with history and reinterpreting it in a modern way continues to shape my work.

When you begin a piece, are you led more by instinct or structure?

Instinct always comes first - usually through color. Then structure refines it.

I work very deliberately in how each element is placed. The composition, the balance, the movement - it’s all considered. My aesthetic stays consistent, but each collection evolves through new color stories and subtle shifts in form.

What do you think about color as a language within your collections?

Color is the language. It defines mood, energy, and identity. What you choose to wear reflects how you feel, and jewelry becomes an extension of that. A shift in color can completely change the tone of a look. To me, it’s one of the most powerful forms of self-expression.

Do you approach jewelry as adornment, or as something closer to wearable form?

Both. It has to live on the body, but it’s also sculptural. Each piece is built with dimension - how it catches light, how it moves, how it feels from every angle. It should be as visually compelling off the body as it is when worn.

What draws you to the tension between past and present?

I work extensively with rare Swarovski crystals sourced in original packaging - some dating back to the 1930s. The shapes, cuts, and colors are often no longer in production.

There’s a depth and character to them that’s impossible to replicate. I pair that history with modern design so each piece feels current while still carrying something unique. Every design includes a small piece of that history.

How do you strike the balance between statement and wearability?

I design my pieces to move with you, from day to night. It’s amazing how quickly your mood can shift when you add something with light, color, and presence.

My clients tell me they feel glamorous wearing my jewelry with jeans, a tank, even cowboy boots... and of course, they love it for evenings and special events. I like to think my pieces can make you feel red carpet–ready, but without needing a reason to wear them.

Jewelry should be part of your everyday expression - layered, styled, lived in. That contrast is what makes it modern. It takes something ordinary and makes it feel entirely your own.

How does the intimacy of jewelry influence your design?

Jewelry sits close to the body, so it has to feel as good as it looks. I think about how a piece lays, how it moves, and how it becomes part of you. It should feel natural, effortless, not imposed.

How important is texture and physicality in your process?

Essential. Nothing I create is flat. Every piece has depth, variation in tone, light, and dimension. Even within one color story, there are highs and lows. That contrast is what brings the piece to life.

As both founder and designer, how do you protect the integrity of your aesthetic while allowing the brand to evolve?

I stay grounded in what defines the brand -color, craftsmanship, and structure; while allowing room to explore within that. Evolution comes through refinement, not reinvention.

What does modernity mean to you in the context of jewelry today?

Modernity is about self-expression. There aren’t rules, and there shouldn’t be.

It’s about how you wear something and how you make it your own. Jewelry should enhance your look and your mood. It should feel natural, effortless, and personal.

When someone puts on a Karen Curtis piece, what do you want them to feel?

I want them to feel confident, polished, and a little more elevated, but most of all, I want them to feel good.

There’s something about the light, the movement, the color - it shifts your energy. My clients always say the same thing: they smile when they put it on, they feel noticed, and they feel like themselves but a little more. My clients call it “happy jewelry.” It’s that moment where something simple becomes something special where you go from ordinary to extraordinary without overthinking it.

And there’s something powerful about knowing you’re wearing a one-of-a-kind or limited-edition piece. It’s personal. It’s expressive. It’s yours.

Tearsheets by Daniel López, Art Director, PhotoBook Magazine
Interview by Emi Stolovas, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
*Images courtesy of Karen Curtis

Karen Curtis on Color, Craft, and the Art of “Happy Jewelry”