Luv Aj: From Jewelry to Leathercraft
Designer Amanda Thomas built a following for her jewelry line, Luv Aj, among retailers such as Fred Segal, Nordstrom, Shopbop, Madison, Lisa Klein and Urban Outfitters since it launched in 2005. On and off the red carpet, in editorial shoots and our favorite magazine spreads, celebrity favorites such as Kim Kardashian, Vanessa Hudgens, Miley Cyrus and Nicole Richie have donned Luv Aj pieces.
Outside her studio in Los Angeles’ Brentwood neighborhood, Thomas still hammers and tweaks the metals she uses for her jewelry, molding gold, silver, brass and gunmetal into chunky, punk-infused daggers, spikes, chain links, shark-tooth body chains and ear cuffs.
For Thomas’ latest chapter of the Luv Aj brand, the designer turned to leather, which, like her jewelry, has a malleable texture that conveys a story behind the material.
For Holiday ’14, Thomas added an apparel collection of leather jackets and leather-trimmed crewneck sweatshirts with a “beach Goth” aesthetic.
“I wanted to make cool, androgynous leather pieces that were not too expensive, with a price point that wasn’t over the top. For now, I am keeping the three classic leather styles that are offered year-round,” Thomas said. The buttery leather pieces are slightly oversize and hang longer than most motorcycle jackets.
On a trip to Bali, Thomas met a factory owner who helps her source fabrics and produce the leather pieces, which debuted last August at ENKVegas and in September at Capsule in New York.
For the bombers, Thomas offers python, crocodile and speckled pony-hair embossed bodices while some of the moto styles offer the same details. The jackets have a loose fit with rose-gold and yellow-gold hardware and hidden zippers along the shoulder, where the jacket turns into a vest.
The leather goods have already been picked up by Revolve Clothing, Urban Outfitters and American Rag, retailing between $348 and $850.
For sales information, email orders@luvaj.com.
