For All It's Worth...Jewelry Designer Liberty Worth

We caught up with Liberty Worth, one of the sassy new jewelry designers from www.shinegirls.com. Find out what inspires her, what designers influence her savvy designs and the ups and downs of the world in design…

Factio Magazine: How does your love of textiles help you in the jewelry design world?

Liberty: My love of textiles and 6 years of experience designing them really impact me more than I ever expected they would.  Classic design concepts like
color, texture, balance, and pattern repeat were my daily bread while I was designing textiles and now I find those are natural necessities in my new adventure.  It also seems to me that I get most inspired by textiles too...I've traveled all over the world, and I have to say that I find my best inspiration in textiles - everywhere I go.  These past few years, after trips to India and Thailand, I have really found my passion for bright colors in unique combinations has been sparked.

FM: Do you follow trends or are you into more classic looks concerning
jewelry?

L: To be honest, I'm not sure. I spend a LOT of time doing trend research... In the past I was a part of color marketing groups and I was on teams of people that focused on trend predictions and color forecasting... so I know that is an inherent part of me... I also grew up in a design family (toys) that was always working 2-3 years in advance - trying to guess the next trends... so I am extremely aware of what is "in" now, but even more so, I love playing the guessing game of what will be "in" next. The reason that I say I am not sure if my jewelry is classic or not, is that I am continually surprised by the types of people who buy and wear my jewelry, as well as HOW they wear it... people that I would consider "conservative" or very "classic", often will buy some of my boldest pieces and wear them so naturally...

FM: What other designers influence you?

L: Well, I'd have to say I have a lot of varying influences.  My biggest influence probably comes from a group of artists and designers that I used to work with... each of us has different talents and products that we are working on now, but we all designed textiles at one point, so we speak the same language... and the influence that those friends have on me is priceless......designers that I like (that you might know) ... Pamela Barsky - her creativity and breadth of product lines... (I have many other things I am working on, she's an inspiration...) Kate Spade - her ability to bring more and more textile art to life is great Angela Adams - although a little more mod than my style, again, I am inspired by her as a business woman

FM: What are your biggest inspirations?

L: I have 2 main inspirations: The first is thinking about the women who will be wearing my jewelry. I do a lot of custom work and I find those projects often spur me onto new levels of design... I love the challenge of trying to design the perfect "whatever" for someone... it really stretches me as an artist/designer.  Sometimes entire collections will sprout out of one design.
My other main inspiration has always been nature. I am constantly looking for new color combinations in nature and seeking to make them into jewelry... This comes in handy because people respond well to color combinations that they can relate to, and when I find them in nature, I know that even if it is unexpected, it will remain timeless and fresh. (My main inspiration right now is FRUIT)

FM: What other goals do you wish to conquer?

L: Well, I've always joked that I am the type of person that starts businesses in her free time.  Right now, I am almost 5 months pregnant, so I'd feel like my primary goal is more obvious each day...  I'm the kind of person, though, who never knows what she will be doing in 2 years, and that is really the adventure... I would really love to design clothing at some point in my life... textiles, color, accessories - all rolled into one!
FM: What's your design philosophy?

L: HAVE FUN. Design is fun. There are good days where you feel like you are on top of the world; ideas are popping, everything works perfectly... and there are those awful days where the best you can do is to sit there and plug away... but in the midst of it all, I find it is imperative to remember that creativity is a gift and a discipline at the same time... You work hard, stay informed, keep plugging, and keep up your chops... but never forget the magic...

FM: What type of woman wears your jewelry?

I wish I could describe her.  I most often design for someone that I picture to be like me - design oriented, a little urban, funky, a little hippie-ish, 20-30ish... but you know what? I am continually blown away by the people who wear my jewelry... they are teenagers, grandmothers, funky, conservative, urban, natural, fashionistas, from all over the country and even the world... It's amazing to me and also a huge compliment... I feel like I have been able to design a line of products that has an appeal that seems to be transcending what I consider as style or persona... It feels magical in itself... I'm blown away at the diversity of people that are touched by this adventure.  I feel totally blessed to be a part of it.