Melissa Joy Manning

Joyful. Spiritual. Unique. Empowering. These are words that describe both the designer and her jewelry. “I like to challenge the ideals of traditional jewelry by blending conventional materials to create neoteric pieces,” says the designer. “I believe in the permanence of the piece, and one of my greatest inspirations is in knowing that people will treasure their jewelry, hopefully for generations.”

Melissa links the modern with the traditional whenever possible. Her unique expression is clearly influenced by her passion for travel, art and culture.

Melissa believes, "My jewelry is not an accessory, but an expression. My pieces aren’t about buying into what mass media tells you you should be, but about finding a piece that speaks to the individual and echoes their personality. I believe that jewelry can influence the way you feel; it can say and mean something different to every wearer." Melissa purchases her materials, found worldwide, from only domestic suppliers. Each piece is handmade to order in her Oakland, California studio by her in-house production staff. "We are so fortunate to be able to do what we love and make a living through our art. We are immensely grateful that we are blessed with the ability to pursue our passion," Melissa says.