CollectionsApr 10, 2024
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Akaila Reid Launches ‘Eat Cake’ Collection
It’s ultra-feminine and filled with gold, pearls, and soft pastels.
Founder and designer Akaila Johnson found inspiration in Marie Antoinette and her time visiting the French court.
New York—Akaila Reid has launched its new collection, “Eat Cake,” inspired by Marie Antoinette’s phrase “let them eat cake.”
The offering is filled with ultra-feminine themes, fitting trendy coquette fashion.
Throughout the 20-piece collection, there are yellow gold bows, pastel-colored sapphires, and blue Tahitian pearls.
Akaila Johnson, the founder and designer of Akaila Reid, is an emerging BIPOC designer based in New York City. She launched the namesake brand in 2020.
For “Eat Cake,” her fourth collection, she created these pieces to celebrate the wealth and beauty she experienced while visiting the French court.
“I have always been drawn to the most opulent and feminine things and ways of life, so I wanted to make a collection that was just wildly me. To me, Marie Antoinette is the epitome of feminine opulence,” said Johnson.
“When I visited Versailles as a kid, I was instantly enamored with the palace and the history of the French court. I especially loved how ornate and grandiose the bedrooms were. The colors and patterns that covered every inch of the rooms was like nothing I’d ever seen, and I would very happily, then and now, like to take up residence in the palace.”
The offering is filled with ultra-feminine themes, fitting trendy coquette fashion.
Throughout the 20-piece collection, there are yellow gold bows, pastel-colored sapphires, and blue Tahitian pearls.
Akaila Johnson, the founder and designer of Akaila Reid, is an emerging BIPOC designer based in New York City. She launched the namesake brand in 2020.
For “Eat Cake,” her fourth collection, she created these pieces to celebrate the wealth and beauty she experienced while visiting the French court.
“I have always been drawn to the most opulent and feminine things and ways of life, so I wanted to make a collection that was just wildly me. To me, Marie Antoinette is the epitome of feminine opulence,” said Johnson.
“When I visited Versailles as a kid, I was instantly enamored with the palace and the history of the French court. I especially loved how ornate and grandiose the bedrooms were. The colors and patterns that covered every inch of the rooms was like nothing I’d ever seen, and I would very happily, then and now, like to take up residence in the palace.”
Akaila Reid’s 18-karat white gold “Bow Eternity” necklace with diamonds totaling 10.03 carats ($56,000).
“Triple Pearl” hoop earrings with 18-karat yellow gold and pearls ($5,600).
The one-of-a-kind “Pink Floral Pearl” ring with a pearl and sapphires totaling 6.88 carats set in 18-karat yellow gold ($7,400).
The 18-karat yellow gold “Pave Bow Drop” earrings with South Sea pearls and diamonds totaling 0.98 carats ($7,800).
Akaila Reid’s jewelry is meant to bring joy to everyday life, said the company, and “Eat Cake” does this by commemorating the beauty that comes with femininity.
“I have also made a decision to live as my most feminine authentic self, and my style has reached its most natural and final form, so I wanted to create jewelry to complement that,” said Johnson.
Johnson often finds inspiration from within when creating new pieces, similar to her previous collection “Wavy Baby,” which was developed after she spent time in healthcare settings watching heart monitors.
The “Eat Cake” collection ranges from $1,200 to $56,000.
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