Alana Leigh captures romance and exotic luxury in her jewelry designs, making them wearable works of opulent art. Luminous and highly-textured, the eponymous collection is decadent and rich with lustrous baroque pearls, intricate mesh work, signature medallions and embedded gems. Her jewels are meant to be unveiled over time, revealing the richness of their construction as they are worn. Born in H
awaii and later raised in Mill Valley, California, where she began selling handmade pukka shell necklaces to local boutiques at age 13, Alana now calls retreats in San Francisco and Sonoma’s Wine Country home. Her artistry is inspired by a life of global travel and her far-flung adventures are evident in her designs. Uniting aesthetic elements from ancient Rome, Edwardian England, exotics of the Far East, historical Art Deco flair, Italian antiquities and Parisian haute couture, Alana’s works become a seamless expression of creative inspiration. Discovered in 1986, when a buyer for Neiman Marcus noticed Alana wearing a self-designed piece made with unique stones she had brought back from a recent trip to India and Nepal, Alana’s chance meeting earned the first trunk show for her moniker line and launched Alana to immediate success. Soon, the self-taught designer was selling her jewelry in more than 400 department stores worldwide including Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstroms, Wilkes Bashford, Harvey Nichols in London and eventually her own boutique, the Alana Leigh Atelier on Union Street in San Francisco. Her success attracted the notice of Hollywood celebrities and her one-of-a-kind jewels were favorites of stars like Madonna, Uma Thurman and Diane Lane. Today, Alana Leigh makes charity a cornerstone of her thriving business. Much of her marketing and sales are done on a personal, intimate level in the private homes of collectors and jewelry lovers around the world. By showcasing her exquisite jewelry to select groups of fashion-forward and philanthropic-minded customers, Alana is able to give back to causes that are dear to her heart and important to the hostesses who love her jewels.
