We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jules Kim a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Jules, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
I have been in business for 20 years so the list of meaningful practices is long. I am grateful to have such a fullbodied approach to the projects I choose to work on because I have elected to follow an undetermined path with a focus on niche aesthetics and communication. Most recently I have created a collaboration with my factory in Bangkok and their female artisans. The act of making jewelry is part of a shaded process and I hope to shed light on the parts that I am proud to show, especially the creators behind it. Each piece that emerges from my Bangkok factory is made exclusively by females. This is a specific and exacting mandate that includes stone sourcing, lapidary work, stone setting, casting, CAD, polishing and even the management of the factory itself. It is my hope that this story highlights the dreams and stories of those behind the making of Bijules and honors the female as artisan, creator, maker, expert, sister, mother and lover. Please watch the documentary here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7XJ8NdG044
Jules, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Under Bijules, I create trendsetting demi-fine and fine jewelry at the forefront of today’s culture. I provide direct encouragement of pop values through innovative jewelry product and experiences. Bijules clients do not just buy jewelry; they “buy jewels” that reflect their times and define modern heirlooms. I build community and leverage stories to drive sales and prove authenticity. In other words, I contribute to culture growth. I focus on giving back to female and BIPOC talent especially those at the source of Bijules production and those deeply ingrained in the spirit of the brand itself. Mentorship and learning exchanges are a driving force of the Bijules texture, which I fill directly as a committee member on the Diversity Action Council for the Couture Tradeshow. In terms of raw goods, I harvest materials which are ethically sourced and educate my client base on the importance of such materials. I have created a specific language seeped in edgy and direct verbiage that always supports doing the right thing as an educated consumer who lives close to the pulse of responsible global culture.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
As everyone in the world, the pandemic was a sudden and jolting about-face. I spent countless days and months reevaluating the construct of Bijules and why anyone might want avantgarde fine jewelry. These were moments when peoples’ lives were being lost and information was the bloodline.
I studied science and I studied technology, I studied new approaches to jewelry design that might include acupressure points. Ultimately what most influenced the pivot I have faithfully followed since then, was the need for honest storytelling and integrity driven practices to take the front stage of Bijules. The majority of my work is fine jewelry and my quest for impressing a new face of luxury into the world continues, piece by piece, story by story.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
Fashion and jewelry as consumer industries do not want to risk anything for success. They want to lead with success and place bets on sure things; therefore, it takes a design which has cycled through the risk and proven itself in the
market. But by then, the origin of the design has been lost.
I am simply advocating for this: when a fashion/jewelry brand sees a product it likes, hire the creators. License their
work. Go to the source and get the original. Your consumers will thank you.
I care about this industry and its people…I want to protect my future in it by opening a dialogue of respect
about the creative process. Fashion and jewelry brands can embrace this process and take advantage of the
continuous pace of fresh ideas from a creator directly. Communication between idea makers and major
brands serve better as transparent instead of murky and blurred. Hire them! This combined effort of authentic
efforts to fuel culture and produce smart consumers will sustain business.
I am planning on being in business for a long while to come. I hope to be able to enrich those of us in it as
well as outside.
Contact Info:
- Website: bijules.com
- Instagram: @bijules
Image Credits
Alessandro Simonetti/ portrait Lorenzo Fariello/ first 3 event pics Telli Michaels/ last 2 event pics