Interviews

Lanie Ferrans, founder of Hialeah Fine Jewelry, can’t get enough of what she does. On top of 12-to-15-hour days at the bench — sandwiched between getting her eldest son ready for school and making it back in time for dinner — she reads about jewelry history in the snatches of free time she finds. 

It’s hard not to understand Hialeah’s success after talking to Ferrans. After struggling to find the things she wanted from existing body jewelry lines, she decided to start making them, and quickly focused on chains, which were becoming a popular addition to ear projects. Eventually, Hialeah grew enough to allow Ferrans to leave the piercing shop she worked at. Later, her husband did the same for his corporate career. Now, he’s the administrative complement to Ferrans’ artistic passion — she’s a self-described hurricane — and Hialeah is the go-to for chains, charms, and tassels, from the minimalist to the very maximalist.

I talked to Ferrans about her upcoming mixed metals collection, how she balances business and family, and her drive to keep growing as a designer and artisan, even when she’s short on time.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

New Orleans-based goldsmithing duo Seth and Monique do just about everything in-house, by hand for Mettle & Silver’s bold, mostly one-of-a-kind pieces. Centering unique stones and fine detail, their work includes both traditional fine jewelry and body jewelry.

I talked to Seth and Monique about their approach to making new pieces and their accidental journey to running a body jewelry company.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.