What you’ll learn in this episode: Who Antwerp’s Fashion Six were, and how they influenced Sonia and jewelry design in general How jewelry and fashion have a symbiotic relationship How art, travels, and women from history inspire Sonia How the pandemic shifted Sonia’s focus for her business, and why teaching jewelry making is a fulfilling path for some jewelers About Sonia Boyajian Sonia designs pieces of jewelry that help tell the story of the women who wear them. Her pieces strive to bring together texture, material, culture, and mood into harmony, creating personal adornments that become a tangible expression of the individual. From her formative years as an art student in Antwerp, she has carved out a design process that is more connected to the exploration of a sculptor or painter than to the trend-driven mode of many jewelry designers. Every collection is animated by a central theme that allows her to develop a new language of color and material while maintaining at the core a connection to the woman who wears the piece and brings it to life. Although she’s now known for her playful, elegant jewelry, Sonia Boyajian didn’t always consider herself a professional jeweler. Sonia started her career in Antwerp, working with high-fashion designers to blend fashion and jewelry together. She’s made another career pivot during the pandemic, recently opening a new retail space and offering jewelry making classes for kids. She joined the Jewelry Journey Podcast to talk about her career path, her inspirations, and why her new mission is to pass her skills onto people through teaching. Read the episode transcript here.  Transcript   Additional Resources: Website Instagram Photos: A few looks from Sonia's latest collection:  THE LADY OF POMPEII