Jewelry

Meet the Mother-Daughter Duo Behind the Jewelry Line Ariana Grande, Zendaya & More Celebs Love - Billboard

Statement jewelry is a staple for any fashion lover's wardrobe, from diamond chokers to thick gold hoop earrings. Unsurprisingly, the demand for these glinting pieces is extremely high -- especially if you’re an A-list celeb.

When it comes to stars like Zendaya, Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus and Kylie Jenner, Los Angeles-based mom-and-daughter duo Tania and Ladan Shayan, who founded the luxury line SHAY in 2002, are one of the go-to's for unique pieces. 

"In high school, I started playing around with making my own bracelets,” Ladan told Billboard. “Our very first pieces were a version of a link bracelet, which is now a staple in the line. Luckily, my mom and I share a similar aesthetic and love for layering. I have a very supportive mother who saw and shared my interest in something and really allowed me to turn it into a career.”

The mother-daughter team pride themselves on designing each collection from a point of view of two different generations and enjoy "working in tandem to ensure that every piece is perfectly wearable for women of all ages. When asked what it was like growing a business together, Ladan said, "It’s second nature for us. We love spending time together and have managed to incorporate business into pleasure with amazing travel. Whether it’s trips to Paris, Asia or something relaxing and tropical, we find inspiration wherever we go. For example, one of our most recent trips was to the Middle East, and after observing all of the amazing talismans there, we wanted to incorporate our own version of an Evil Eye into the collection."

With a high demand for SHAY jewels, the brand expanded overseas and in the United States, selling to luxury boutiques and popular retailers like Browns, Saks Fifth Avenue, London Jewelers and Just One Eye -- but out of all the various pieces offered in the six collections, Tania explains that chokers are the most popular accessory within their celebrity clientele, "While we have more subtle styles with black grosgrain ribbon ($3,780), we also offer full diamond pave chokers ($8,190) that are amazing for red carpet. People may have thought it was a trend, but we think they are here to stay," Tania explained.

Each piece takes on a geometric-yet-delicate design that takes a unique perspective on Victorian and Art Deco inspiration, bringing a different element of design to each collection, but as of right now, Tania said their "Essential" collection is receiving the most love. "They're those staples that will always be in the mix," she said. "These are pieces like our diamond-encrusted chain links, signet rings, stacking bangles and chokers that are a trademark for our brand. Right now, we’re having a moment with statement earrings, particularly variations on oversized hoops -- some front-facing, some with baguette dangles. Most of our pieces are available in yellow, white, rose and even blackened gold, which allows for every woman to find something that matches their jewelry wardrobe." (Prices range from $3,780-$33,600.)

SHAY is available across the United States through a selection of retailers and at shayfinejewelry.com.