There is duality in all of us—our love of unrefined, natural beauty often diverges with an attraction to showstopping glamour. For the past decade, Kimberly McDonald’s jewelry has been uniting our contrasting fascinations with designs that are undeniably of the earth and yet somehow, otherworldly.
The North Carolina native grew up collecting agate and geodes, and her signature one-of-a-kind pieces still center around those unique, organic shapes—you’ve seen her designs on the red carpet on dynamic women like Michelle Obama, Taraji P. Hensen, Melissa McCarthy, Lupita Nyong’o, Halle Berry and Cameron Diaz.
“What I loved ten years ago, I still love today,” says McDonald. “I’m not sure my style has changed so much as possibly evolved. I’m a huge fan of mixing metals and materials. I love the juxtaposition of the rough and fine punctuated with unexpected details and elements that give each woman her signature style.”
Before launching her eponymous line, McDonald helped private clients curate their fine jewelry collections. Today, she’s noticed a shift in what women are looking for. “In fine jewelry as well as in fashion, women are much more empowered to express their individual likes dislikes and style now than they were ten years ago,” she says. “This really excites me because I’m not a fan of cookie cutter or a uniform style of dress and accessories.”
Among McDonald’s favorite one-of-a-kind pieces right now are a bold geode-covered cuff bracelet (see above) and a pair of black and white geode earrings ($19,700). In celebration of her brand’s ten-year anniversary, McDonald has introduced a chic new charm bracelet with diamond-studded geode silhouettes (starts at $49,725). The bracelets (and a growing number of charms) are available at Bergdorf Goodman, Hirshleifers and through Net-a-Porter.
“I love adding new pieces to my personal collection that speak to me or mark an experience or moment in life,” says McDonald. “Jewelry is extremely personal and should convey the wearers tastes, personality and lifestyle. One of my favorite things about doing trunk shows is that I get to see my clients and I get to see how they wear my pieces and what they pair KMD with—they are my constant inspiration.”
