| Knitted jewelry. Yes, knitted jewelry. Up-and-coming | | | | exhibitions, Carla continued making jewelry. When the |
| Evanston, Illinois jewelry designer, Carla Reiter, is the | | | | journalist and museum work ended, she was free to |
| design genius behind her brand, also named Carla | | | | pursue her dream of jewelry designing full-time. To get |
| Reiter. Carla knits incredible darkened silver, gold, and | | | | her line started, Carla began selling wholesale to small |
| copper metal to create her handmade signature | | | | shops and galleries that catered to handmade, or |
| pieces. Carla's trendy jewelry line includes | | | | artist-made work. Later, she sold retail at high-end fine |
| one-of-a-kind pieces that are very glamorous, and can | | | | craft shows. |
| be worn anywhere. Coming from a background as a | | | | Carla loves making things and feels a kinship with other |
| trained sculptor, her artistic talents shine throughout her | | | | people who have that impulse. She describes her |
| creations. | | | | jewelry as very sophisticated, earthy, and meant to be |
| Carla's pieces are described as ethereally elegant and | | | | seen on a woman's body -- not put in a display case. |
| original. The Carla Reiter line includes African tribal | | | | Some pieces are limited editions. |
| looks that embrace a jungle trend, soft petals with | | | | Carla's "Raisin Garland" necklace was worn by Blake |
| plush stones, mesh metal and eye-catching earrings. | | | | Lively on the season finale of the hit show, Gossip Girl, |
| Born in California, she grew up in the Midwest, with a | | | | and by celebrities Madeline Zima and Sasha Pieterse. |
| short sojourn through England. Carla's love for jewelry | | | | Her designs have also been featured in many |
| started in early childhood and continued throughout her | | | | publications. |
| high school years. In high school, she would make | | | | Her advice to aspiring jewelry designers is that you |
| jewelry for herself, but she also designed clothing. | | | | have to love designing, making the jewelry yourself, |
| Carla's passion is designing jewelry, and today she is | | | | and managing the studio. Most of all, you will need to |
| living that passion. | | | | be a good businessperson and trust your own |
| Carla has an art degree from Indiana University, | | | | imagination and taste. |
| Bloomington, with an emphasis in sculpture, a B.A. in | | | | Carla draws inspiration from the indigenous people in |
| physics and science journalism from the University of | | | | Papua, New Guinea, and along the Amazon. Fashion |
| California at Santa Cruz, and a Master's degree in | | | | designers who inspire Carla are the Rodarte sisters, |
| cultural anthropology from the University of Texas. | | | | and Japanese designers Rei Kawakubo and Yojii |
| While working as a journalist and writer of museum | | | | Yamamoto. |