PLAITLY: Wearable Art that Tells a Story

ABOUT THE BRAND
PLAITLY Drapery Jewelry in Gold
We believe that your jewelry is an expression of you. 

The accessories we choose to wear are part of the many nuanced ways we express ourselves.  Your jewelry should resonate with you on multiple levels and have a story that you're excited to share with the world.  More than just pretty shapes, your PLAITLY jewelry will be the conversation pieces that everyone will want to hear more about.
Your jewelry should have meaning.
Each of our collections tells a narrative centered on a theme, whether it's personalized jewelry shaped by the sun, or expressive minimalist jewelry that captures the movement of fabrics, or 3d-printed jewelry with handmade elements.  Our design process combines digital technologies, such as scripting physics simulations and 3d-printing computer models, with handmade techniques, such as lost wax metal casting.  Our work explores the ongoing and constantly evolving relationship between virtual and physical processes to redefine what it means for jewelry to be “handcrafted” in a digital age. We believe that the inspiration behind your jewelry combined with the process of how it was made creates a meaningful piece with a compelling story behind it. 
Your jewelry should be high-quality and environmentally responsible. 
We use high-quality recycled metals, which reduces the need to mine new precious metals.  Our metals are recycled in the USA and are free of toxins including lead, cadmium and mercury.  Our metals are also nickel-free for sensitive skin.  All of our pieces are made-to-order, which reduces inventory and waste. We believe that embracing slow fashion allows us to create quality jewelry that is well worth the wait.  We also donate 10% percent of our sales to non-profit organizations with a mission of environmental responsibility, so each purchase helps make our world a better place.     

 

ABOUT THE DESIGNER: CAROLINE QUINIO
Caroline Quinio photograph

Throughout my life, I have explored various art forms and found inspiration in all of them.  I enjoyed trying out each one and testing it as a way to express myself.

My first mode of expression was music. I loved the way that music could fill a room with sound so resonant and thick, or delicate and soft, which fascinated me.  After music, I fell in love with drawing. It amazed me that a simple object, such as a pencil, could capture the light and shadows of complex scenes and shapes. I spent some time as a dancer, combining my love of music with motion and exploring the rhythms, lines, and shapes that the human body could create. Then architecture, probably the most challenging of them all, which trained my eyes to see how space is defined by built environments and the way people choose to interact with those environments. And now jewelry, intimate objects of beauty that connect people over space and time.

I believe in the power of jewelry.  Jewelry can evoke an emotional response, like music.  Or celebrate the human body, like dance. Or capture a moment in time, like drawing.  Or tell a story, like a novel. Or evoke a sense of place, like architecture.

My jewelry is for those who recognize that there is more to a piece of jewelry than what it looks like.  Each one of my collections begins with an idea I find fascinating. The design process meticulously explores these concepts and results in expressive forms of wearable art.  The story behind the jewelry includes the inspiration, the materials, and the way it was made to truly bring to life ideas expressed through a timeless design aesthetic.

I also believe in the importance of giving back to the global community, which is why 10% of our Heliodon Collection sales are donated to the Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF), a non-profit organization that uses the power of the sun to develop and deliver innovative solar solutions in answer to the urgent needs of the world’s energy poor—giving them the opportunity to vastly improve their quality of life and pursue their dreams. 

I hope that my jewelry resonates with the creative soul within you, and that you choose to express yourself through the pieces in the PLAITLY Collection.

 

PLAITLY PRESS BIO

PLAITLY was founded in 2017 by Caroline Quinio, an architect and classical pianist.  As a jewelry designer, Caroline's mission is to create meaningful jewelry that embraces experimental design while maintaining a contemporary, yet timeless, aesthetic.  PLAITLY’s work explores the ever-evolving relationship between virtual and physical processes to redefine what it means for jewelry to be “handcrafted” in a digital age.  PLAITLY jewelry has been featured in various fashion and design magazines, including ELLE, ELLE Decor, Harper's Bazaar, Vogue, GQ, Glamour, House of Coco and Surface Magazine.  PLAITLY is internationally recognized and has exhibited work in Art Basel Miami, the Fuorisalone during Milan Design Week and the Artistar Jewels Contemporary Jewelry Exhibition during Milan Fashion Week in Italy.  PLAITLY has also presented various jewelry collections during New York Fashion Week and London Fashion Week.  PLAITLY has appeared in local high-profile events, such as Brooklyn Designs during NYCxDESIGN, the Chelsea Fashion and Film Festival, and the FAD (Fashion, Art, Design) Market in New York City.  Founder Caroline Quinio holds a Masters degree in Architecture from Columbia University in New York City.
To learn more about us, such as our commitment to only using ethically-sourced, nickel-free and recycled metals, or the processes behind how we create our jewelry, please visit our FAQ page.