Home » Ali Grace x Brandon Boyd: What You Need to Know about this Rock Star Jewelry Collab

Ali Grace x Brandon Boyd: What You Need to Know about this Rock Star Jewelry Collab

Ali Grace x Brandon Boyd: What You Need to Know about this Rock Star Jewelry Collab

Jewelry designer Ali Grace collaborates with acclaimed musician and visual artist Brandon Boyd (Incubus) to create an art inspired jewelry collection called Ali Grace x Brandon Boyd (AGxBB).

The collection consists of 40 pieces, which include necklaces, bracelets, rings and cufflinks. The artistic duo found inspiration from the American coastlines. Each piece is handcrafted with sterling silver, gold, brass, black diamonds, sandalwood and crystals. We chatted with both Brandon and Ali about their collab and how two artists came together to create this unique line.

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What sparked this collaboration?

Brandon: I’d say what sparked this collaboration was curiosity. I had never even considered working with metals and wax before and when I met Ali she sort of let me play with all of her materials she works with. It was fun, and we just went with the flow.

Ali: The collaboration arose through a mutual friend, and developed further due to our shared appreciation for the art of handmade creations and a connection with California. 

How do you realize your two visions into one collection?

Brandon: We had a mantra throughout the process which sounded something like, “Brandon, would you wear this?”

Ali: Each piece of jewelry is hand sculpted by us. My placement of the hidden diamonds and charms provides a curious, unexpected detail while Brandon’s painterly qualities are brought forth in the intricate linework on the designs. 

The jewelry reflects a hybrid of the West and East Coasts. Elements such as crystals and sandalwood are a reflection of California nature while the metals represent the urban environment of New York City. By using a matte finish on the metals, connectivity between inspirations from both coasts is achieved. The matte, imperfect finish allows the metal to take on a feeling similar to sand at the beach. 

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Who is your collection for?

Brandon: It’s for you, Love. 

Ali: While the jewelry began as a men’s line, the collection naturally turned into a unisex collection to be donned by both men and women. Each piece is to be loved and worn at the beach and in the city.

How do you work together as a team? What roles do you each take one?

Brandon: I’d say that Ali is the resident expert in these departments, being that my area of expertise is in sound and paint. So while I’ve been curiously digging around in the dirt, she has been dusting off and polishing the humble, little gems that I unearth. 

Ali: Brandon and I collaborated long distance for this collection. We would discuss ideas and send notes and images to one another. Once we decided our initial aesthetic and concept for the line, a few samples were created. Brandon then came to New York to see our ideas brought to life. Following this initial stage, Brandon and I worked side by side one another shaping, carving and engraving into jewelers wax, which would later be cast into metals. 

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Does music play a part in this collection? 

Brandon: Not particularly, no. This is just a fun art project that has been surprising me at every intersection. 

Ali:  Music is a constant source of inspiration that fuels my creativity and designs. It is one of the muses that I look to for artistic expression. I’m heavily influenced by 1970s rock and roll and the self expression of style that grew from that era. Keith Richards is a fashion icon and always wears a silver link bracelet.  Our sandalwood bracelet with a silver link clasp pays homage to Keith Richards and the rock and roll legacy.

 While music of the 1970s is the bedrock of my creativity, the love of music spanning all decades contributes as a continuing source of inspiration. Brandon’s unique artistic talents, both musical and in the fine arts, are woven into our designs. His compelling style and aura feed our collaborative spirit, and are drawn on and personified into our collection. 

You can shop the collection at Ali Grace Jewelry