Bal Harbour

132 BAL HARBOUR If there's anyone to credit with the rise of luxury piercing it is Maria Tash. The New York City-based fi ne-jewelry designer recently opened her latest boutique at Bal Harbour Shops—her sixth outpost following London, Dubai, Dublin and her original New York studio— where you can now fi nd her expansive collection of fi ne jewelry for the body. And for the uninitiated, book an appointment with one of Tash's skilled piercing artists for the full experience. Here, we catch up with Tash about the evolution of her brand. You opened your fi rst studio in New York's East Village in 1993, and now, your boutiques are found in luxury shopping centers, including Bal Harbour Shops. At what point did you realize you were onto something that really crossed boundaries? I did not specifi cally have a vision of going into luxury centers when I began, but as I matured, I became more comfortable in the luxury arena. I crossed boundaries by combining elements of my past and present. In my teens and early twenties I loved goth and punk music and London and Manhattan's edgy club and concert scene aesthetics. I think my undergraduate Barnard College science degree is responsible for the rigor I have in developing high piercing service standards. All of these aspects created the Maria Tash brand. Is it safe to say you've invented luxury piercing? Yes. I have always viewed piercing as a form of beauty, and stressed beauty in the elegance of the jewelry and how it is applied to the body for continuous wear. I spent years in the early '90s experimenting with rings and studs and I worked on and invented mechanisms to support my jewelry philosophy while I was developing new designs. Many contemporary jewelry brands are mired in generational mores and habits, and since I am fi rst-generation and did not sprout from the engagement ring, traditional jewelry world, I was able to create a modern brand for men and women who tend to be self-purchasers. You count many celebrities among your legions of fans. Who are some of your most devoted supporters? It's an honor and highly legitimizing when celebrities get pierced with us. We have worked with many celebrities over the years, including Julianne Moore, Blake Lively, Shawn Mendes, Rihanna, Charlotte Tilbury, J.K. Rowling, Kate Moss, and Ashley Graham (amongst many others). I love that my jewelry becomes a part of them because in so many cases clients wear my pieces continuously. As public fi gures, actors are expected to be chameleons—keeping their piercings in I think is a way to stay true to their identity. You've introduced a range of exclusive pieces at Bal Harbour. Can you talk about the color palette you've chosen? I wanted to design something special for our Bal Harbour opening. Miami is a colorful and vibrant city which calls for stones in vivid and beautiful hues. I sourced some rare rose purple and light pink natural diamonds in special cuts and I knew they would be wonderful as an exclusive collection for my Bal Harbour opening. I also created some new pink diamond fi nger rings that are gorgeous. These unusual pink diamonds are also incorporated into my iconic earring designs. You've shared that you have fond memories of visiting the Shops as a child. Care to share some details from those early visits? I loved and vividly remember my childhood visits to Bal Harbour. My fi rst visit was as a young teenager in the 1980s with my mother. I remember the lustrous foliage inside the mall and the sounds of water. My mom allowed me to purchase navy blue mascara, and then we went to Neiman's and I purchased a black beaded garter stocking, with rows of cascading black seed beads that decorated my entire leg. I kept that leg "jewelry" element for years. To be part of the modern Bal Harbour is an honor. Put a Ring on It MARIA TASH KNOWS NO BOUNDARIES WHEN IT COMES TO PIERCING, AND HER NEW BAL HARBOUR BOUTIQUE IS THE LATEST SHOWPLACE FOR HER VAST ARRAY OF FINE JEWELRY FOR THE BODY. By Ta l i M i nor Maria Tash's rose- purple diamond Trinity threaded stud earring, available exclusively at Bal Harbour Shops. IMAGES COURTESY MARIA TASH

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