A longtime fashion industry insiders and friends Elena Kosenkova and Kira Pokhiton launched their own jewelry line Crystalline with the philosophy of geometry of asymmetry. Inspired by modern art and nature, the collection of daring hand carved pieces feature slabs of semi-precious stones and minerals as well as modern materials. With their unique eye for design Crystalline brought jewelry to the boundaries of fine art combining cachet with the casual that had immediate impact and attracted ever-growing customer awareness.

MORE is LOVE: Tell us about your fashion background and how you found each other.

Kira: We both have always been interested in fashion industry. We met at Vogue Russia, where we were working at that time. Very soon we became friends and our careers developed in parallels. Lena became the Fashion Director of Tatler Russia and I was appointed as the Publisher of Vogue Russia. We were so lucky to get such an unique experience in fashion journalism before we started our own business.

MORE is LOVE: Have you always had a keen interest in jewelry?

Elena: Yes, but more as an accessory to a total outfit. We had been toying with the thoughts of establishing our fashion brand as we had some definite ideas about necklaces and earrings but couldn’t find that in the existing brands. It took many years before we dared to make the first step.

Elena: Once we had some of the designs made as one offs, we got a lot of positive feedback which encouraged us to turn it into a real business.

MORE is LOVE: Your brand in 3 words.

Kira: The trendsetter’s accessory.

MORE is LOVE: Is it the concept behind your brand?

Elena: Yes it is and we express this by bold contemporary designs and experimenting with innovative mixes of natural and synthetic materials and as well as mixing symmetric and asymmetric shapes.

MORE is LOVE: Describe a woman who wears your jewelry.

MORE is LOVE: How do you get inspired and how do you manage to make a synthesis of your ideas into your collections?

Elena: Nature and modern art are the main sources of inspiration. Often I put a lot of materials on the table and start combining shapes and colors before I start sketching, sometimes the sketch comes first. I often play some tranquil background music like Klaus Schultze’s Rheingold with that haunting voice of Lisa Gerrard.

MORE is LOVE: Is there any particular material you most enjoy working with?

Elena: Amethyst. Semi-precious stones are very demanding. The natural form determines the way it can be cut and fashioned. I often see and feel the character (if one can name it like that) of the stone and that sort of dictates the future design.

MORE is LOVE: How are your designs connected to your Russian heritage?

Kira: Cosmopolitan, pace setting, well travelled, curious, widely interested, natural, confident and of course with good taste.

MORE is LOVE: What is the most important thing in the working process?

Elena: There are two main challenges: Imagining in two dimensions a three dimensional item and accepting that some of the most innovative ideas need to be tuned down to ensure they are not only attractive but also practical to wear.

MORE is LOVE: What was your biggest challenge and success in your business?

Kira: Adapting pure handcraft to producing volumes and modifying to new trends in distribution and marketing. Also, consistency as natural stones are all different shapes and colors.

MORE is LOVE: What’s next for Crystalline? Any collaboration in mind?

Kira: We still have plenty of ideas for future collections. We envisage collaboration predominantly on the marketing and distribution side and possibly will look to diversify production to more ateliers in Italy.

MORE is LOVE: Who would you like to see in your designs?

Kira: Ballet dancers, off-duty female fighter pilots, selected royalty.

MORE is LOVE: Do you have any rules on how to wear jewelry?

Elena: The only rule is that there are no rules. Whatever makes you feel gorgeous, wear it.

MORE is LOVE: What advice would you give to those who want to start their own jewelry business?