Masha Shapiro, the designer behind the collection and a licensed mental health counselor, lost her father when she was eight. After growing up and having a child of her own, she began searching for a piece that she could wear to commemorate her dad that “wasn’t a basic locket pendant. I wanted a piece that was more soulful and sentimental—a piece that would allow me to feel that I was wearing his memory.” Shapiro says. She added the tagline I Wear Your Memory ™, which is inscribed on the outside of a few of the signature bracelets.
Shapiro gives a nod to old world charm and workmanship and the feeling of antique memorial jewelry with intricate chasing, black enamel and hand finishing. Yet her pieces offer cleaner more wearable and fashionable 18K gold versions of Gothic letters to create hinged bangles, locket bracelets and contemporary styles of necklace rings.
But as she was designing the collection she noticed that her friends wanted pieces they could wear to celebrate those they were separated from by distance or simply as a love token. “I am so happy that the meaning of the collection grew to have even more significance than my original concept with women who are connecting to the pieces in their own very special ways.” And, unlike purchasing an antique memorial piece, all of the styles in this collection can have your own loved ones names, dates or quotes and saying inscribed on the underside.
Inspiration
“I could not find anything that would commemorate my father and my love for him that I could wear everyday or which would hold a little charm that he gave to me before he passed away. I had seen memorial jewelry from the past, but these pieces didn’t speak of my father. Instead however beautiful they were, they related to other people’s lives and losses.” After researching the period pieces, Shapiro knew she wanted to capture similar feelings but in a small collection that would be relevant to people like her, who wanted to ensure that our beloved’s memories are always close to our hearts. ”Beloved ™ does just that and more…
“It celebrates the great loves in our lives: husband, wife, mother, father, daughter, son and sister and brother,” says Shapiro.