The raw energy of Mother Nature is rooted in an elegance older than time itself. The space between savage beauty and mystical darkness is the natural habitat for Birds N Bones, a jewelry design brand with Academy of Art University heritage.
Birds N Bones came to life when alumni Ashley Lagasse and Zoe Cope met in a metals casting class. Additionally, they were both represented the School of Jewelry and Metal Arts for the Jewelry/Fashion Collaboration in the Spring Fashion show, Lagasse in 2013 and Cope in 2014. Upon discovering their mutual love for dead things (each owned a box of macabre memorabilia), they knew it would be the start of a beautiful partnership. For the past three years, the dynamic duo has balance creativity with shrewd business acumen while being each other’s biggest cheerleaders. Cope is the creative powerhouse while Lagasse is the business efficiency whiz.
“Our inspiration first and foremost comes from the natural world. Ashley and I are fascinated with geology, gemology, mythology, botany, and alchemy. We love fusing the natural world with the mystic, that’s why we hail our work as ‘where the dark and the beautiful collide,'” explained Zoe Cope.
For their first client-curated collection, Cope and Lagasse began with a specific bug specimen and offered multiple designs, the most popular of which became the Entomology Collection. The process was undoubtedly lengthy, but resulted in the most stunning designs. Cope believes that making beautiful things is easy, but making something that inspires others is a different matter entirely. The latest collection is rife with delicate beetle and insect motifs, grounded by brass and silver metals. Twigs and tree designs are weaved into the collection to add an earthy feeling and connect the pieces back to Nature.
“With an intense commitment to ethically sourced materials, and endlessly inspired by the dark and beautiful cycles of life, Zoe and Ashley have developed an amazing ability to expand their collections with new and compelling imagery,” said Charlene Modena, Director of the University’s School of Jewelry & Metal Arts.
For Lagasse and Cope, there is a special bond between a person and their jewelry. “My favorite piece has to be the Weevil Pendant with Stone Bottom. The marriage of the labradorite body and silver weevil head just makes my heart swoon,” states Lagasse. Not meant to be worn and tossed, Birds N Bones’ pieces stay with their owner for a lifetime.
