STYLE
I
NSPIRED BY FOLKLORE,
mythology, and her wanderlust-filled upbringing, Louisa Kimble’s line of eclectic jewelry—TORCHLIGHT—is the quintessential collection for bohemian ensembles. Using rare and unusual crystals and minerals—while trekking in Nepal, she once traded her sleeping mat with a Sherpa for a piece of Tibetan turquoise—each of Kimble’s locally crafted goods are designed to enhance the raw essence of the materials while capturing the spirit of the wearer. “To me, jewelry is more than decoration. It holds meaning,” she says. “To some, it wards off the evil spirit, to others it grants fertility.” In addition to jewelry, Kimble also designs feather-tasseled dream catchers (from $88) to adorn your sacred spaces and flea market-inspired clutches (from $175)—a collaboration with Steven Soria of Make Smith Leather. Be sure to check out the line’s latest collection, slated to launch this spring at Angel in Montecito and Hawthorn in Carpinteria. –MEGAN POULIOT TORCHLIGHT 310-745-6653, torchlightjewelry.com
ONE TO WATCH
LEFT TO RIGHT: Torchlight wristlet by Make Smith Leather, $175, smokey quartz crystal necklace, $100, Thunderbird necklace, $110; Brown Spirit dream catcher, from $320; Ayla earrings, $38, and tribal cuffs, $55 each.
Kara Smith is an award-winning interior designer with an eye
for unique palettes and room-opening architecture. As the president of Smith Firestone Associates Design—she is also the founder of high-end women’s fashion line Karanina—Smith lends her refined taste to royalty, diplomats, and Hollywood’s elite by designing avant-garde homes and five-star hotels. With SFA offices in Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, and New York, Smith is constantly searching for innovative design concepts and top-of-the-line exotic decorations. “Being headquartered in Santa Barbara, a step back from the city, provides a different perspective,” says Smith. “I have a chance to absorb everything— from trends to techniques to inspiration.” –CARLY B ATES SMITH FIRESTONE ASSOCIATES 805-692-1948, sfadesign.com.
LEFT TO RIGHT: Designer Kara Smith; a Smith redesign in the Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills; the cocktail lounge at Namibia’s Windhoek Plaza Hotel.
62
S A N TA B A R B A R A
SPRING14.style NEW VERSION.indd 62
SPRING 2014
3/28/14 4:43 PM