History

In 2022, Greater partnered with Rachel Bu to launch Authorne, a luxury jewelry brand that seamlessly blended Rachel’s background as a sculptor with a passion for fashion and jewelry. The inception for the brand came from an organic place for the artist. She wanted to create a personal heirloom that she could one day pass down to her own children, so she decided to design it herself.

The Challenge

Crafting a heritage luxury brand posed a unique challenge as Rachel sought to convey distinct narratives, styles, and designs while navigating the intersection of art and fashion. Embracing bespoke and limited edition jewelry, Authorne's business model more closely echoed an artist studio more than a conventional jewelry shop.

The Brand

Starting with Rachel's sketches and mood boards, Greater set out to create a brand echoing the individuality and romanticism of her exquisite pieces. Authorne invited individuals to "wear their own story," celebrating personal narratives rather than an outsider’s gaze.

The name Authorne was born from that exact sentiment.  It inspired one to be the author of their own story and to adorn oneself accordingly. The name Authorne also felt like a family name that could prevail and be passed on for generations to come.

When it came to the visual identity Rachel came to us with an idea, she wanted to include the motif of a cicada in her brand. The cicada held deep meaning and symbolism to her, signifying transition and renewal. Just as they shed their outer layer and become new again, Rachel too was stepping into a new chapter of her journey as an artist.

We crafted a minimialistic and fluid mark of a cicada, formed from just three strokes.  This mark was intentially simple enough that it could be engraved on the back of a precious jewelry piece, yet interesting to hold its own. Along with it, we designed a lettermark and design system, that included a custom encoded typeface to be used on the jewerly as an artful sku.

The site

Authorne's website redefined the conventional jewelry storefront. Unlike traditional jewelry sites, we were not building an ecommerce experience.  Instead this was a portfolio and digital space for Authorne to showcase the limitless possibilities of the brand.  As all the pieces designed are one of a kind and completely bespoke, the customer is guided through an experience of discovering the core motifs of the current collection.  Those motifs are realized via a combination of digital 3d art, collages of Rachel’s own drawings, and a written story.  Once a customer connects personally with one of the 5 motifs, then Authorne designs a bespoke piece just for them, personalizing the design in shape, scale, material, or stone.

The portfolio section exhibits available pieces for sale, while the encounters segment serves as a living diary, a canvas for Authorne to share individuals, experiences, and inspirations that embody the brand. The site represents not just a portfolio but an immersive narrative journey into the essence of the brand.