The Blogosphere's Favorite Green Jewelry Line

By Lexi Green
July 20, 2011

Minoux

Minoux jewelry founder/designer Kristen Robison; handcrafting Minoux jewelry

If you’ve been seeing graphic, bright enamel pendants featured on your favorite style blogs lately, chances are they come from Minoux. Not only has this Portland, OR-based jewelry company been featured in giveaways on popular websites, but also, this past spring, Minoux’s social-media-savvy owner-designer Kristen Robison gave her pyramid-shaped necklaces to seven well-known design bloggers (like Coco + Kelly and I am a Greedy Girl) and challenged them to incorporate the pieces into outfits. The scheme worked, and the Internet fell hard for all things Minoux.

To be fair, the style world was already well-acquainted with 10-year old Minoux’s architectural, almost mod designs—not to mention the earth-friendly manufacturing processes used to create them. The recent buzz on the blogosphere just kicked things up a notch.

With a desire to be let in on all the virtual fun, we invited Robison for a little tete a tete.

Minoux

The Inside Source: Hi, Kristen! Could you tell us a little bit about your path into the jewelry world?

Kristen Robison: Well, after I graduated from college, I decided to travel for as long as I could before I had to get a “real job.” One day in India I found a tiny jewelry shop. I could see a man inside, using his breath to intensify a lantern flame, and then using that flame to solder jewelry. I’m normally not this forward, but I felt a really strong desire to try what he was doing. So I asked him if he would teach me, and he agreed. I ended up sitting on the floor with him for a week, going crazy trying to blow on a flame and melt silver at the same time. I eventually made a ring for my mom and a pendant for a good friend. Luckily, when I got home and started looking into jewelry-making, I realized I could buy a soldering torch and didn’t have to blow on everything!

The Inside Source: Is that when you started Minoux?

Kristen Robison: Except for a brief stint working for a nonprofit, I never did get that real job; I came home from traveling 10 years ago and almost immediately started designing and selling jewelry.

The Inside Source: How are the items at Minoux "green"?

Kristen Robison: I use recycled sterling silver wherever possible. I’m so grateful to organizations like Ethical Metalsmiths, who work to raise awareness about mining issues and support jewelers in making the switch to more ethical practices. I also use less-toxic alternatives for studio chemicals; all my paper products are recycled; and I designed the studio to be well-insulated and make great use of natural light, which minimizes electricity use. But, I’m always trying to do better.

left: Minoux Love Triangle Necklaces ($44 each) Enamel pyramids like these are a signature Minoux style.

The Inside Source: How has Minoux evolved over time?

Kristen Robison: People used to be surprised when they met me, because I was such a tomboy and my work was so delicate. I really didn’t even wear my own jewelry! I think over the years, the jewelry and I have slowly moved toward each other from opposite ends of the spectrum. Now I’m a little more girly, and the jewelry has a little more edge to it, and we’ve met happily in the middle.

The Inside Source: Where do you find your inspiration?

Kristen Robison: Sometimes my inspiration is very literal, like the Troubadour necklace, which comes almost directly from the ring handle of my old vegetable steamer. So elegant, right? But I’m also very inspired by word combinations, like the other day I drove past the “Wing Song Apartments,” and immediately started wondering what a collection called “wing song” would look like.

Minoux

Left: Minoux ircle of Friends Necklace ($69) "Recently I made a Circle of Friends necklace for four sisters," says Robison. "They had just lost their fifth sister, so they wanted to wear the necklace, which has five rings, in honor of her." Right: Minoux Troubadour Necklace ($118) The inspiration for the Troubadour necklace came from Robison's old vegetable steamer.

The Inside Source: How would you describe your aesthetic?

Kristen Robison: I have the hardest time with that! Minoux was just featured in a giveaway on the Cup of Jo blog, and I really liked how the commenters described my work. Some of my favorites that resonated were: “pretty and industrial;" “a great mix of bold statement pieces and delicate everyday wears;" “a balance of strong geometric shapes, punchy color and delicate size;" “very simple, but fun and edgy.”

The Inside Source: What is your favorite part of your job?

Kristen Robison: There is no better feeling than knowing I’ve created something truly meaningful for someone. Recently I made a Circle of Friends necklace for four sisters. They had just lost their fifth sister, so they wanted to wear the necklace, which has five rings, in honor of her. Being able to assist them with their loving memorial felt really good.

The Inside Source: Do you have a favorite item that you have created?

Kristen Robison: Currently, I’d have to say the Inclined necklace. I wear it practically every day.

Minoux

Left: Minoux Harmonic Mean Necklace ($79) Robison gave necklaces like these to seven popular bloggers and asked them to incorporate the styles into outfits. Right: Inclined Necklace ($72) The Inclined necklace is Robison's current personal favorite style.

The Inside Source: Outside of your own work, do you have a piece of jewelry that you hold near and dear?

Kristen Robison: My engagement ring. It’s from the Victorian era and my Mister picked it out himself, which I thought was pretty brave, since I’m notoriously picky. He did such a good job, it’s beautiful!

The Inside Source: When you're not creating Minoux beauties, what can we find you doing?

Kristen Robison: Probably gardening and taking care of our chickens, the ladies. I love bird watching, a good thrift store trip, a day at the river or a fire in the backyard with friends.

The Inside Source How do you use eBay?

Kristen Robison: I use eBay all the time, but it’s my go-to for two main purposes. The first is when I find an item of clothing that I absolutely love, and I’d like to buy a duplicate, or the piece is discontinued or sold out (jeans especially). It’s so easy to search the exact style and size. Just check eBay until you’re able to find it.

I also use eBay to find high-quality vintage items, like the other day I realized I needed a watering can for the plants. Rather than go buy a new one, probably plastic and not that cute, I just looked on eBay and was able to find a vintage can with lots of character. I felt better about buying it, and I definitely enjoy having it around the house more.

Minoux jewelry founder Kristen Robison helped us find a few items on eBay that she could see buying for both work and pleasure:

Joan Jett Photo

(buy it now price, $249.99)

"I can't draw a clear line from Joan Jett to my jewelry aesthetic, but she's always been influential to me. Her boxy fuchsia blazer on the cover of 'I Love Rock n Roll' rocked my pre-teen world."
Mid-Century Brushed Aluminum Bracelet

"Everything about this brooch pleases my eye: the shape, the grey tone, the pattern, the wear, all of it!"
1968 Chevrolet Chevelle

(buy it now price, $49,995 )

"If there were no such thing as air pollution or gas mileage, I would totally drive a muscle car. Imagine a carefree bohemian tough-girl speeding down the highway with the windows down... I want to design a jewelry collection for her."
Vintage Givenchy Necklace

"I so love this. Especially because I can't decide if it's taking itself seriously or not."
Antique Navajo Rug

(buy it now price, $550)

"I hardly ever use red or black in my designs, but this rug could make me reconsider!"
'50s Modernist Textiles

(buy it now price, $436.92)

"Baby tree triangles!"
Vintage Vera Scarf

(buy it now price, $59.99)

"Bright pink plus geometric design equals a perfect balance of masculine and feminine."
Vintage Navajo Rug

(buy it now price, $300)

"Being from Portland, I must 'put a bird on it.' But I really do adore this rug; it's neutral and bold and silly and restrained, all at the same time."