“Occulus,” the LACAR 2014 Fall/Winter jewelry line, is an expression of the beauty jewelry designers, Shira Laye and Morgan Carrier, witnessed in an eroding sanctuary and other gothic architectural points during their travels together in Europe. Creative inspirations abound between the dynamic couple, at home in Vancouver and abroad. Both bring different angles to the design table – Morgan, coming from the worlds of theatre and film studies in Paris, and Shira, from her endeavors visual arts in none other than New York City. Their business partnership developed organically out of their romantic relationship in the spirit of a collaborative engagement in the creative process for the burgeoning line.

While the three of us relaxed and dined at Café Gratitude on the bustling Rose Avenue, in Venice, our conversations meandered like cobble stone roads twisting through quaint European towns. Mini conversations ensued from each of the incredible pieces within their collection, and pushed on to explore the inspiring people in their lives, their artistic endeavors both individually and collectively, to amusing ourselves with silly questions like why with age the waistline of older men’s pants seem to rise higher and higher with each successive year. We chuckled devilishly at the prospect of this, and what they will inevitably experience together at some point far from now. Shira and Morgan definitely have a lot to be grateful for!

LACAR co-founders and jewelry designers, Morgan and Shira, with Rochelle Robinson, co-founder of LaLaScoop, adorned with pieces from their debut line, “Occulus.”

The West-Coast couple has created a jewelry line using hand-carved techniques and time-honored fine jewelry making traditions that is infused with a street style twist on gothic architecture. “We wanted our pieces to be monumental, worthy of worship, but we wanted them to be light and unencumbered by the heavy physical matter they are made of. So, we came up with the aesthetic of the arch,” co-designer Shira says of their collection. And, they’ve certainly accomplished their objective. The hand-carved process is indeed revealed in the lines and details, both fine and raw, that cradle brilliantly colored, individually selected stones within the repurposed metals. There seems to be a perfect contrast and balance between the ancient and the modern in their designs. Each piece has a story, an inspiration, a reference to a place and time, and somehow slips too easily upon the wrist, ear, finger and neck. I wanted to take each and every single piece home with me. So instead, we lavishly layered them on and took some shots. It was difficult to say good-bye both to Shira and Morgan and to all of their gorgeous pieces in their debut collection, “Occulus.”

LACAR price point for “Occulus” collection is $120-3200.