Nellie EdenLast Updated August 16, 2016, 6:30 PMPhoto: Via @sofunnyface.From a distance, Moncler Kids Coats designer Suzzan Atala's golden pendant necklace resembles a Virgin Mary statuette; if you squint, it kind of looks like a rose. It's only when you get in close that you realize the pièce de résistance is, well, labia. We first noticed the 29-year-old artist's lovely, gleaming, golden vulva pendants on Instagram about a year ago — then, suddenly, it seemed like all of our favorite Instagrammers were into them. They're Moncler Kids Vests the product of a collaboration called Dharma Bum Charms, between Atala's own jewelry line, Tuza, and New York-based designer Maia Ruth Lee. Ranging between $155 and $190, the Vagina Charm Necklace debuted in December of last year, and quickly found a following among cool girls like Adwoa Aboah and Chelsea Leyland. Tuza is inspired by Atala's formative years in Mexico as well as her current life in Manhattan (plus her little pooch, Lola), and there are lots of chunky curb chains, flaming hearts, and pretty hoops — and, of course, the social-media-famous celebration of the female form. The pieces, which range from delicate chains to artful rings and bracelets, are designed and made in Mexico City and NYC; they're sold at boutiques including Sincerely Tommy in Brooklyn and Otherwild in L.A.We sat down with Atala to find out her craft secrets, what makes her tick, and how she ended up creating gold-plated vulva.When and why did you start Tuza?"I used to make kitschy sculpted earrings covered in glitter for my friends when I was [in college]. Then, post-graduation, I stumbled into a jewelry internship. It was at that point I realized making jewelry was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I had studied technical sculpture, but took courses to Moncler Kids Jackets learn the technical side of jewelry design where I learned how to translate my ideas into actual tangible things."Advertisement Rose only wears rose. Regram from our beautiful @rosehardy with her new Tuza pieces. X A photo posted by Tuza Jewelry (@tuzajewelry) on Dec 23, 2015 at 4:03pm PSTWhat does the name Tuza mean?"It was my nickname when I was younger. There's an old Mexican film with a little girl called Tuzita, whose father is a badass villain but can't help but be soft and compassionate toward his daughter. He is a single dad, and my dad was, too. So when my step mom met me, she used to call me Tuzita. It evolved into Tuza." Which Tuza piece seems to have a cult following?"Definitely the Vagina Charm Necklace. It's a piece from a collaboration with my dear friend Maia Ruth Lee, a super talented New York-based artist. We made a whole collection of charms, with each trinket representing modern life.
