Mrs Obama sporting our Resort Bowtie Pin in an unusual way at the dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.

Michelle is not afraid to experiment in fashion as the First Lady. We give Michelle kudos on her ability to express her fashion sensibility even with the microscope of the world watching her every step.

One of the best things about being a designer is you can collaborate with the most creative minds. Cut to Martin Keehn.

Martin has worked as a master tailor for some of the best stylists and designers from Calvin Klein, Balenciaga, Michael Kors to  celebrities such as David Bowie, Nicky Minaj and Ozzy Osbourne. He’s known for his meticulous craftsmanship. He launched his own line and I got to participate in hi trajectory by collaborating on 3 designs.

The dyed long goat hair necklace (above) with faceted onyx encrusted trim.

A leather and patent leather hand stitched necklace with faceted onyx trim. (below) And a black lace collar (also below).

I’ve been collecting antiques since I was 13. I used to go to Maine to an antique store in the woods. It was owned by Mrs. Ivers. She had rosy red cheeks and cotton ball hair and was really sweet. She introduced me to antiques from all of Maine.

I started selling them on St. Mark’s, which sounds crazy because it is. My parents didn’t know what they were getting into.

I love antique jewelry because of the history they contain. I used to fantasize about the jewelry being passed down from generation to generation. I know that sounds like a crock of shit, but it’s true. I’ve been obsessed with collecting, it gives me a lot of pleasure. It’s a shame I’m not a girl because I’d be wearing it.

I decided to showcase some of the antiques I’ve been collecting in my stores and online. The jewelry comes from all over- Portobello Rd in London, Clignancourt in Paris and antique shows here in NYC. I’m always looking for antique jewelry that inspires me, whether through craftsmanship, technique or aesthetic.

Below are some examples of some pieces that are currently available.

These earrings are 14k gold, pietra dura, Victorian 1880′s. The design is accented by a mix of stone colors to create shapes. They’re $1,600.

14k blue enamel cufflinks from the 1930s. I’m always a big fan of antique cufflinks, they give a nod to an older world. There’s also nothing more classic than blue enamel with a gold trim. These are $850.

This is an 1870s mourning pin with 18K gold wrapped with woven human hair, memento jewelry. This is one of my favorites but also the creepiest forms of jewelry. Victorian hair jewelry was made by women who would take their men’s hair and weave it into jewelry as a memento. Since this one is an anchor, the woman’s husband might have been in the Royal Navy. This pin is $950.

1970′s Aquamarine in 18k rose gold. Classic Sputnik setting, represented the age of Modernism. This is always a classic Modern design that embodies excitement about the future. This ring is $1,400.

Jack was born in Plymouth, Mass in 1960. He came into the world and busted it up!

Known for his art (above) he has been shown for 20 years. His work has been featured at MOMA, the Whitney and the Guggenheim.

He changed the way we look at youth, celebrities and art.

He’s an artist that is constantly referenced. For example, if you’ve ever been into Barneys New York and saw their in store display:

Look familiar?

I met him 20+ years ago when I was selling jewelry on the street and he was an East Village artist. Zoom forward and I got to have Jack shoot our 2011 ad campaign. It was exciting to see how he worked with Lauren Hutton and the images he was able to do draw out of her.

He is truly a legend and I’m excited to feature Jack and his work. Below are more images of his work that we weren’t able to get onto our website.

Pretty cool art installation was being installed to launch the DUMBO Art Fair.

The flourecent lights looked incredible against the sky.

Set under the Brooklyn Bridge, the founder of Dumbo had a mission to restore a carousel from the 1920s and put it under the bridge. The kids have flocked towards it, super exciting!

A little munchkin wanting to get in.

Here is a 1930s deco lobby in perfect original condition. It shows the detail from the furniture to the rug. It’s one of my favorite periods of architecture because it still embodies modernity.