ALMASIKA is a jewelry line that beautifully combines art, design and culture into sculptural shapes and symbols. I caught up with the brand’s founder, Catherine Sarr on how she started her business, her passion for jewelry and her design process.

Interview by Alison Engstrom

Hi Catherine, it’s lovely to meet you! How have you been doing both personally and professionally in this trying time period?

With remote work and school I have been spending a lot of time with my husband and children. I have been finalizing my new collection, SAGESSE, which explores traditional wisdom around the world — so this moment to reflect was timely. Thoughtful acquisitions are the driving desire of our clientele. The fusion of design and culture have been at the forefront of my creations since inception. ALMASIKA jewelry embraces larger traditions that span generations, and unite cultures. Through the past few months, we have all been aware of what is truly important to us, redefining our futures. I believe people will bring more thought and purpose into their purchases. Before COVID, we held a beautiful series of trunk shows with a link to the art world—with collectors, art institutions, and galleries. Because the trunk shows are not possible, physically, we’ve put them aside. I think the independent boutiques who know their customers very well will be able to take that same curated, personal approach we had with the trunk shows.

What inspired you to launch your jewelry brand back in 2014?

My initial inspiration for Almasika was found in the cowrie shell. They’ve always been part of my life. I used to wear a natural cowrie shell pendant when I was younger. When I debuted at the Paris boutique Colette in 2014 with Le Cauri Endiamanté collection, I wanted to pay homage to this ancestral symbol of spirituality and abundance that I reinterpreted in gold and diamonds. It quickly garnered the attention of tastemakers around the world when it launched.

What were you doing prior to starting your company?

I grew up in Paris and after graduation my passion for jewelry led me to venture to London, where I worked for various luxury brands promoting craftsmanship from around the world, including several years spent at the heart of the diamond and fine jewelry industry working for the likes of DeBeers Group and LoveGold (World Gold Council).

Let’s talk about inspiration, how do the majority of your designs come to you?

It is an iterative process embracing inspirations from a plethora of sources. From reading a book to letting my mind flow, to conducting in-depth research on forms, symbols and stories that transcend cultures—all of those elements can trigger the design of a new piece for me. So, before there is any sketch there is often a story or stories that I am picturing in my head. Then I let the first sketches capture the story.

The new collection, SAGESSE, is incredible and is inspired by the West African Adinkra tradition. Can you share more about that and about your design process, i.e. how that idea was translated into the actual pieces?

Traditional wise adages have shaped my approach to life so my intention was to reinterpret these timeless concepts with the hallmarks of ALMASIKA jewelry, including sculpturally rounded shapes and the symbolic significance that is essential to my creations. I have always been fascinated by the cultural aspect of jewelry and with Sagesse, I wanted to explore further the duality of jewelry as adornment and spiritual object.

In terms of aesthetic and design, I am attracted by sculptural shapes, curves and soft lines. That’s the signature seen in all my designs – I also like understated silhouette that can take you in to the evening: It’s very much the Parisian style I grew up with.

With Sagesse , it started with my Universum symbol - Concentric circles inspired by West African Adinkra tradition that are seen throughout the collection. Representing the universe, this motif has appeared throughout the world and across eras, etched in boulders in the Sahara and found in valleys in Arizona. I have modeled this medal — designed to create an optical illusion of a spiral —after a Bronze crown of a 15th Century Benin King and royal golden disks. The four additional symbols — VENI, VIDI, VICI (I came, I saw, I conquered) and STELLA (The Star) — also incorporate double concentric circles and the collection’s signature repeating, fused oval bales. When I work on my designs, I imagine them in gold. That allows me to perfect the shape and the form. I want people to be attracted to the lines, subtlety and the design.

When it comes to running Almasika, what has been the most challenging part and the most rewarding?

I work globally with partners in Paris, London, Mumbai, LA, and NYC. This is my strength but it can also be challenging at times as it sometimes means being available at all times. Our jewelry has deep meaning and with discerning customers who put a lot of thought into their purchases, the most rewarding is when they are happy whether they acquire for someone or for themselves. We receive some moving cards and emails sometimes.

What is one thing you know now that you wished you knew when you first began?

My mother still needs to remind me that things don’t happen overnight. Our medal STELLA, the star, explores that notion of hope and patience through the traditional Akan aphorism “Just as all the fruits do not ripen at the same time, so all the stars do not shine at the same time.”

What advice do you have to others who might be interested in starting their own company or brand?

I have three letters that I live by whether in my personal or business life: P.H.D. — Passion, Humility, Dedication.

Almasika is…

rooted in art, design and culture.

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Images courtesy of the brand

Behind the Brand | Catherine Sarr Founder of ALMASIKA