Isaac Harrell photo
Beautiful and individual — that's how a bride should feel. These same ideals drive Renee Wagner when she imagines, designs and engineers a piece of jewelry in her West End studio.
Wagner offers custom designs for brides who yearn for the sentimental touch of an heirloom piece, yet whose "something old" doesn't quite work as is. Brooches, for instance, can become statement necklaces, she says, particularly for women wearing simple gowns.
Wagner's designs feature distinctive adornments (such as fur pins, buttons, belt buckles and chandelier pieces) that she discovers at antique stores, flea markets, and estate and garage sales.
"I use just about anything that inspires me," she says, dangling a strand of salmon-colored beads accented with an Albert Weiss rhinestone pin. (When costume jewelry spiked in popularity during the 1940s, Weiss was among the most renowned designers.)
Wagner's range of creations, which spans vintage, semiprecious and contemporary collections, contains no duplicates. "I also make similar designs for bridesmaids," Wagner says. "I'll make them match, but each one will be unique."
And, of course, Wagner has another special wedding client: the mother of the bride. "She doesn't want to upstage her daughter, so she's wearing a plainer dress," Wagner says. "But she deserves a little bling."
For more information, call 740-2126.
