Nandi Naya is a handmade jewelry line founded in 2015 by self-taught jeweler Hleziphansi 'Lezi' Zita, who named the label after her eldest daughter. Zita is Brooklyn-based and the daughter of South African emigres, and her South African heritage is a stated influence on the work, alongside architecture, art and nature. Pieces are hand-carved using the wax method and produced in sterling silver and 18-karat gold plate.
Signature designs include the Fig Hand pendant, the Vase earrings, which symbolize water and vitality, Malia hoops set with malachite, and the Zola earring, inspired by a Jean Arp sculpture. Zita describes the line as 'handmade jewellery to compliment the modernist woman,' and the sculptural shapes bear that out. The business runs as an online and wholesale operation out of a Brooklyn studio rather than a storefront, so there is no shop to walk into.
Pieces are sold directly through the brand's own site and stocked by the New York boutique The Drive New York, where you can see them in person. For anyone drawn to sculptural, hand-carved jewelry made in small numbers, this is a line worth knowing. Browse the collection online.
Nandi Naya