Ross, a certified GIA gemologist, founded her eponymous line in 2003, which was launched at Bergdorf Goodman. Her passion for colored gemstones is apparent, as is her knowledge in them. “I became a certified gemologist because honestly, if you want to go into fine jewelry, it is the best education. It basically means you’re an expert on diamonds and colored stones, which is important because as opposed to just looking at a stone and saying ‘it’s beautiful,’ you can tell if it’s real or synthetic, D-Flawless or a D-V VS-1 in terms of diamonds,” explains Ross.
In January 2008, Ross was awarded the FGI Rising Star Accessories Award. She had just collaborated with Gilles Mendel, of J. Mendel, by co-designing 23 bracelets and other jewelry items, which featured Mendel’s signature “X” design. The bracelets sported precious stones on brass plated in gold.
“It was from that collaboration, that the boutique collection was born,” explains Ross as she referred to her less-expensive KARA by Kara Ross line. “It was fun to experiment with different materials as it was the first time I wasn’t working with solid 18-karat-gold. I also didn’t have to worry about weight, which enabled me to be as big and bold as I wanted. The pieces turned out beautifully.”
What makes Ross’ accessories so coveted is her unique ability to transform organic materials, such as wood and leather, into luxurious objects of desire. Still, her true talent is her gift of highlighting the natural beauty of the stone through her artistry of design. In fact, Ross’ jewelry is more of a wearable art than decoration.
“When I’m designing, I just design around the stone in its natural state since it is so interesting. Or, if there’s a specific shape I have in mind, I’ll work with a lapidary — a stone-cutter — to cut the stone first before designing around it,” she explains.
Ross loves crafts because when she’s working with her hands, she can pay more attention to detail. “Just like with my designs, it shows that someone spent a lot of time on it and that it wasn’t just spit out of a machine… whether it’s a statue or a ring, the passion, care and attention to detail is overt,” she says.
The design aesthetic is versatile, sometimes appearing art deco-inspired, and at others, very organic. Her clutches made of exotic skins take on an art deco, almost retro feel, with their simple geometric shapes. “I often use a single gemstone cut in a geometric shape, like the inverted emerald cut to accent the bag,” says Ross.
Her decision to use exotic skins was an easy one. “I decided to use the exotic skins because I think it’s a great tie in with the gemstones. Both are rare and unique and possess a sense of luxury. Just like with diamonds, there are different grades of skins: high-end and commercial. Ross uses the diamond D-flawless equivalent in skins.
Because Ross uses only the best of the best in terms of materials, and each piece (whether jewelry or bag) is handmade and not mass-produced. “They are all individually handmade and that’s important because there’s attention to detail and quality,” she says. Ross adds that she doesn’t manufacture many pieces of the same item so that they remain exclusive. That’s good news for women who want to feel special: they don’t have to worry about walking into a room and seeing someone carrying the same bag!
Whether it’s a maple wood cuff with diamonds or a crocodile clutch with a marcasite accent, Ross has the ability to create a seamless harmony of alternative materials that manifest into pieces of ultimate luxury. “I love the organic nature of the wood, gemstones and exotic skins. I like playing with these alternative materials,” she says.
“The woman that wears Kara Ross is independent, she doesn’t have to follow trends or have a label stamped all over herself,” says Ross. “My designs don’t have a label, because it’s not about me, but about the artistry of the piece. Hopefully, that is what is appreciated — the beauty of the stones and the skins.”
As for her plans for the Middle East, Ross is thinking of customizing a line specifically for this market. And, because she loves bold and bright colors, she thinks it will go well with the black abaya. “I think the black abaya actually works out because then when you accessorize it with a bright exotic skinned bag or a beautiful ring, it’ll just pop out,” she says.
