The Intimacy of Adornment: Inside the World of Vimeria

Sitting down with Anna Laskin, the founder of Vimeria, revealed a world where jewelry is far more than ornamentation. It is memory and storytelling cast into metal and stone. What began as a conversation about a collection quickly transformed into something deeper: an exploration of how personal history becomes design language, how emotion becomes form, and how an artist translates lived experience into pieces meant to be worn, touched, and cherished. 

Vimeria’s work exists in a space where opposing ideas harmonize effortlessly: strength and softness, tradition and reinvention, sentiment and modernity. Each piece carries a quiet intentionality, reflecting the designer’s belief that jewelry is not merely an accessory but a vessel for meaning. Throughout our conversation, it became evident that the brand is shaped as much by introspection as by craftsmanship, with every silhouette informed by both technical rigor and a deeply human impulse to preserve fleeting moments. 

Anna Laskin in her studio, Photo by Anastasia Egorova

As we share this interview, we invite you into Vimeria’s world. One where artistry is intimate, symbolism is central, and every design begins with a story. What follows is more than a discussion of a collection; it is a glimpse into the mind and heart of the artist shaping it.

Interview

Sally: Could you tell us about your journey into jewelry making? Where did it begin, and where did your passion for jewelry making come from?

Anna: That's a really good question! I don't think there was one “aha” moment. I’ve just always been kind of crafty, always making things. And then as I got older, I was experimenting with beads, friendship bracelets, and I was just attracted to wearable pieces. I remember in high school I'd have layers of layers of necklaces. You know, you just get excited and then eventually just kind of translate it to metalsmithing, and I got more and more into the craft of making jewelry.

I actually majored in industrial design, but I did a minor in jewelry design, so I took a few classes, and I was like, “Oh, this is real. You can actually make things as a career.”

Sally: That's so cool! It seems like your journey into jewelry making was very natural. From when you were very, very young, you kind of had this kind of predisposition towards it. And the fact that you were able to grow it and pursue it professionally is really beautiful.

Anna: I mean, it's been a journey!

Organic Collection, Photo by Nathan Haynes

Sally: I see! So then, with that, how did your upbringing influence your design philosophy, or are there any influences in your life growing up that have had an impact on your brand and what you create?

Anna: It's a really good question. I have to really think about this, because you don't always walk around thinking “this is where it all originated from,” so I love these questions. But I think from my upbringing, I moved around a lot as a child. So I had to “make up my own world as I go” kind of thing. When I moved to a different country, with a different language, different people, and different cultures, I felt I had to create my own world to be able to understand the world around me. I think that's the one thing that led me to always being creative and doing my own thing, and then I created my own visual language around what I'm doing. I don't know if that makes sense.

Sally: I think so. It can be helpful to have one thing that you can consistently fall back on, especially when you're moving around and going into so many different environments.

Anna: Yeah. So it's always been my thing to make things up as I go. Even learning - it wasn't like “Oh, this is what you do, and this is how it is.” I’m kind of like, "Oh, this is what I get from it,” because my interpretation may not be what the local culture’s interpretation is. So I think that kind of helped me become really passionate about abstracting things and making out what I see and having my own unique interpretation of it.

Also, as a child, I went to a lot of art galleries and art museums, and that also created that passion for looking at beautiful art and having that feeling, mood, and inspiration that you get from it. So I think those two aspects are kind of like the big inspiration that I take onto the brand. I love the art of it, and I love how inspiring it can be. But then, I also love having my own interpretation and really abstracted my own ideas of what things are or could be.

Perspective Collection, Photo by Nathan Haynes

Sally: Well, I think the inspiration has translated beautifully into the pieces that you create! And you mentioned that you were working for other jewelry brands before you decided to start your own. So I was wondering what prompted your move from designing and working for others to starting your own brand. And when you were starting your brand, was there a moment early on that made you feel like, “Yes, this is worth doing, this is what I'm going to pour my heart and soul into?”

Anna: It wasn't really a decision. It was more driven by passion. I was working for a jewelry designer, doing all the design. It was a fashion brand, and then I also worked for a fine jewelry company doing their designs, and a family member said, "Well, if you're doing all the designs, why don’t you just design for yourself?” It never even occurred to me before that I could do that! And I was like, "Yeah, why not?" So I dove into that concept, later realizing that running your own brand is a lot more than just designing jewelry.

Sally: Oh, for sure.

Anna: Well, that was a surprise. But I stuck with it because it was just all passion, just like from before. It's not like something I sit around and think about. It's more like, oh, “I have these ideas, and I have to make them.” And then you just kind of make it work along the way.

Sally: So it kind of feels like you were meant to go down this path, regardless of what you were doing before.

Anna: Exactly, yeah.

Organic Collection, Photo by Nathan Haynes

Sally: That's amazing! And then when you look back at your early sketches and prototypes, is there a certain design or prototype that you still feel connected to, or you regret letting go? And then what are the compromises and trade-offs that you have to make in your design process?

Anna: Again, really, really good question. I don't feel regret because I feel like the designs I make grow with me. Something that was amazing two years ago no longer feels amazing, but it did feel amazing at that point in time in my life. So it's like the designs always grow and develop with my interests, my inspirations, my point in life, etc. So it doesn’t feel like I look back and have any regrets, because it felt right for that point in time.

And there are always stacks of sketchbooks with sketches that never materialized into anything. Honestly, one of the hardest parts in the design process is to narrow down what exactly will go to production and what won’t, because the sketching phase is always so free, and you kind of do a million different concepts, and then narrowing it down is one of the hardest parts. It's like, "Okay, what's gonna go forward and what’s not?

And then again, going back to your question of the trade-off: the third hardest part is once I finalize the ideas and the concepts I want to go with, they may look amazing in a sketch form, but once I start working in 3D, they might not necessarily translate as well as I had hoped.

They change even further in the 3D design phase, where, to make them wearable and actually appealing on the body, they have to go through another morphing part where they turn into a physically viable product, far evolved from the abstract sketches they start as. So I wouldn't call it a trade-off more than, like, an evolution. It never feels like a trade-off because it starts from this idea, and it gets molded into and refined into something wearable, if that makes sense.

Sally: So it's kind of like a cycle from design to 3D modeling, and then you recycle back and then just keep refining it until it's something that is good enough to put out to market.

Anna: Exactly.

Sally: Well, I think that's great! And I really, really loved what you said about how your past designs are kind of representative of your identity at the time, because as you're able to put out more and more collections in the future, you'll be able to look back at these and be like, “Wow, I remember my mindset and this collection was a representation of who I was at that time.”

Anna: It's just like a little capsule!

Organic Collection, Photo by Nathan Haynes

Sally: Could you walk me through your favorite piece and its creation, from the idea that sparked the design to the final processes of shipping it out?

Anna: That's a really tough question to answer because it's like picking your favorite child.

Sally: I could imagine!

Anna: Yeah, they're all my favorites. But again, in my previous collection, I was really in love with certain pieces, but now that I have this newer collection, I'm now in love with those pieces because that's the new and exciting thing that I've worked on. So it's kind of hard to pick just one.

Sally: I mean, you can do multiple, sure!

Anna: I think there are a few pieces that I really love.

I really love the toggle from the Taine Necklace. I love the form of it. I also like the Meer Drops with the lapis lazuli gem. It’s abstract, it's kind of a little bit 80s, and has a little bit of a modern form. And these ones I'm wearing (the Vation Drops), I just love them and like the abstract shape of it, and then this one, the Acme necklace. I love it because it's so versatile and because you can wear it in so many different ways that are fun and exciting.

Sally: Well, let's just go with that carnelian necklace? Is there an idea that sparked that design, or how do you start when you're creating a new piece?

Anna: I usually start with a concept, like an abstract concept, and the Perspective Collection kind of came to be from taking a lot of trips. I've always loved that idea of looking from the airplane down and seeing all these abstract shapes that nature makes. And I was like, “These are some really cool forms!” So I call the Perspective Collection 'cause it's kind of overlooking these forms and shapes from a different perspective. They got inspired by the different lakes and rivers that you see from above, which make these abstract shapes. Then, I reworked them and molded them into something that I felt inspired by. So that's how the toggle came to be, from the abstract shapes and the sketches. Once they were in 3D, I tweaked them a lot more too, and morphed it into something visually appealing that will look really nice on the body with the stone beads.

Perspective Collection, Photo by Nathan Haynes

Sally: And from that process of bringing it to market, how do you decide how much of a piece you want to make?

Anna: I make them all myself. Part of the brand is that the pieces are made to order. So I only ever make like a handful at a time, and they're usually made to order. That's kind of how I like to structure things. I was at a previous brand where I would do the ordering and manufacturing, and I just didn’t like the waste part of it because you’re always guessing. This model of higher-end pieces that are made to order means there’s no real guesswork.

Sally: I guess in that way, you're basically completely eliminating any excess waste and stuff. That's really great. With what you were saying about looking down from a plane and seeing a forest, you clearly take a lot of inspiration from nature, mimicking natural forms and playing with experimental shapes. But how do you balance concepts with experimentation and also making sure that it can turn into a product that is both practical and comfortable for the people who buy your stuff?

Anna: Prototyping! A lot of prototyping. It's just a one-word answer. It's really hard to explain. It's just kind of like the design process, and my brain just goes through that natural interpretation. I see something, and then I say: “Okay, I can interpret that into a piece of jewelry.” I guess with a lot of experience, you kind of know what works and what doesn't work. I've made a number of designs that you try them on, you wear them, and they don't quite work. I think I had around five or six different versions of this toggle before I knew how it would work.

Sally: It's lovely to see how much thought and how many versions had to go behind just creating one piece that, you know, your average buyer might not think about.

Anna: Yes, it is interesting. People never see the background work, reiterations, and ideas that go through it. So I guess one of my goals is to kind of do a better job at showing that process and shining a little bit more light on that.

Photography by Nathan Haynes

Sally: Switching gears to your most recent collection, your Perspective Collection, what do you hope your customers get from this collection? And what are some challenges that you encountered when designing this collection?

Anna: It's tough as a designer, you kind of just have your ideas and your inspirations and your work. So to project what people would get out of it specifically is kind of difficult, but all I hope is that they find inspiration in my pieces, the way I find inspiration in other people's work. To kind of light up their day, to feel really gravitated towards the way the forms float together. All you can hope is that people appreciate the work and interpret it in their own ways. So when they buy a pair of earrings, they kind of take it on their own outfit, right? So it's kind of like, with any collection, I kind of hope that they find it inspiring and find it in themselves to make it their own, and interpret it in their own way. I think that's the biggest kind of achievement.

Sally: Hoping that your customers are able to kind of see their own version of beauty in a pair of earrings or necklace that you made, and hoping that they take away a diverse perspective from it is very meaningful.

Anna: Exactly, yeah.

Sally: And over the years, how has your relationship with silver, metal, and these stones evolved? Is there a material or technique that you wish you could experiment with, but you haven't yet?

Anna: Definitely. I always love silver. I'm so happy that a lot of other people currently love it as well. My metal of choice, for sure.

Sally: Me too!

Anna: I'm planning to experiment more with gold and stone-setting. That's definitely something on the list that I would love to go forward with. Just for the different capabilities, even stone setting in silver is something that I'd love to work more with. I’d like to try my hand at gold, even though it's astronomically expensive these days. It could be fun.

Sally: For sure. When you're trying to experiment with these new techniques, are you mostly teaching yourself, or do you go to workshops? How do you gain these skills and knowledge in new techniques?

Anna: A little bit of both. There's not much difference between working with silver and gold. They're very similar, except gold is softer and actually a lot easier to work with.

Sally: Really?

Anna: Yeah, it's, like, very malleable. It's very soft and is a nice metal to work with. And then for stone setting, it's a little bit more complex, but I'm taking a few classes here and there, and then supplementing it with some YouTube videos.

Sally: It's crazy the amount of stuff you can just learn now from online resources.

Anna: To be fair, doing it in person in a workshop—even something just very small—just to get a hang of the very basics is super helpful, and then you can kind of build on that.

Sally: That's great! And obviously, there's probably still a lot of personal experimentation that you just need to do in your workshop to build that skill and build that foundation.

Anna: 100%. It's all about practice.

Photography by Nathan Haynes

Sally: For our last question, what's next for Vimeria? Is there a particular project or collaboration in mind that you're wanting to do?

Anna: Definitely working on more pieces. I'm always designing and making new things. I'm actually looking to make a number of new rings that I have been really excited about, so those are in the works. And I'm also actually working on a collaboration with a ceramics artist, who's actually based in New York City! We're working on a brooch that is in the works for spring/summer 2026.

Sally: Exciting!

Anna: Yeah, there's always something in the works.

Sally: That's so exciting. I wish you luck in all of your business ventures, and it seems like you're going really strong!

Anna: Thank you so much, Sally, it was a pleasure chatting with you about Vimeria. I hope Lo’Ammi readers find it inspiring.