What does Black liberation appear to be by the lens of luxurious? At Tiffany & Co.’s Lenox Sq., Kellie Bowman gave it type, sparkle, and goal.
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Juneteenth celebrates Black liberation, and this occasion outlined Black freedom of expression when it comes to superb jewellery. Typically, many could really feel unwelcome to browse costly luxurious jewellery manufacturers. That’s simply what Kellie Bowman, daughter of the late Dr. Sebi, needed to reveal in her personal Tiffany & Co.’s Lenox Sq. occasion in Atlanta. However this wasn’t simply one other model occasion; it was a reclamation. Named “Fashionable Session,” it was a curated house to be true to your self.
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Jewellery lovers are very aware of Tiffany Blue! So it actually was an honor to celebration in luxurious. Hosted by Kellie Bowman, wellness advocate and daughter of the late holistic healer Dr. Sebi, the occasion blended magnificence with essence. The Tiffany & Co. flooring was crammed with laughter and therapeutic power as Black women and men have been adorned in diamonds they didn’t have to purchase to strive on. Company have been welcomed with limitless champagne, luxe hospitality, and the sounds of reside string renditions carried out by Atlanta native and violinist Jasmin Rhia. Rhia is a classically skilled musician who started taking part in at age 10 and attended Florida Worldwide College on a music scholarship. Rhia elevated the room with soulful interpretations of Black music—reminding everybody that even in probably the most polished areas, Black tradition units the tone.
In a robust mid-event speech, Bowman advised the origin story of her connection to Tiffany & Co.:
“After I was a pre-teen, I’d stroll by the Tiffany retailer in New York with my father. Sooner or later, he grabbed my arm and stated, ‘We’re getting in.’ He advised me, ‘You’re the prize on this room. There’s nothing unattainable for you.’”
That second, she recalled, was sealed by a retailer affiliate who wrapped a Tiffany ribbon round her finger—marking her presence as sacred.
“That was 5 many years in the past and I noticed it wasn’t the jewellery, it was my character I used to be constructing,” she stated. “And Tiffany was a giant a part of that.”
Luxurious Meets Liberation: A New Imaginative and prescient of Black Wellness
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Throughout our one-on-one interview, Bowman emphasised the significance of illustration inside luxurious areas.
“Having girls are available in right here and make this your closet—your jewellery field for a day—was overwhelming to me,” she advised BOSSIP. “It’s about therapeutic. That freedom to only strive issues on with out shopping for a factor is essential.”
Because the CEO of Sebi’s Daughters, Bowman continues her father’s holistic wellness mission, bridging generational well being with psychological readability.
“This—what you’re viewing—is my mindset since I used to be 12,” she defined. “Me being balanced has extra to do with what I’m considering, after which it transcends to what I’m consuming—and that turns into my fact. Something could be modified with that. You’ll be able to change your food plan. You’ll be able to change life expertise. You’ll be able to flip a tragedy into one thing constructive. It’s all about the way you see it.”
Meet the Makers: Carrying Tales, Not Simply Stones
At Tiffany & Co., every bit of knickknack tells a narrative—and through this Juneteenth celebration, I received to put on one in every of my very own. Paloma White, a consumer advisor with a radiant spirit, helped information me by the gathering. She slipped a pendant round my neck and shared its surprising historical past:
“You’re really carrying the white gold lock pendant,” she advised me. “What’s pretty about this pendant—it’s really primarily based off an archival brooch {that a} husband gave to his spouse, and he inscribed ‘In Religion and Love’ on it. So it’s a gorgeous piece, type of about being unique and locked in collectively.”
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Her heat and information added an emotional layer to the second—it wasn’t simply in regards to the steel or the worth tag. It was about which means.
Later, Ren Fennell, group supervisor on the Lenox location, took my private type under consideration in a means that made me really feel particularly seen. She observed the assertion pendant I had on once I arrived and thoughtfully chosen a chunk from their assortment that aligned with my daring, expressive style—whereas elevating it by Tiffany’s timeless design language.
“The primary piece that you simply tried on was the T1 necklace,” Ren defined. “It’s representing infinite potentialities. It’s in a white gold steel with individually set pavé diamonds.”
That spotlight to who I already was—and the way I confirmed up—remodeled the expertise from easy styling to considerate affirmation. It wasn’t about altering me. It was about highlighting my current gentle. Then got here a very memorable dialog with Harold Gainer, a grasp engraver who’s labored with Tiffany & Co. because the age of 18.
Now 64 and primarily based out of New York, Harold shared the artwork and persistence behind his craft.
“I’m a grasp engraver and I work on the flagship in New York,” he stated. “I take pleasure in this work as a result of it’s showcasing the distinctive artistry of engraving, the place folks can get one thing customized. The time is dependent upon the piece—some designs I can end, like a reputation on the jewellery, in a day. However others could take months.”
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His calm supply and seasoned knowledge mirrored the deep craftsmanship that usually goes unnoticed behind the shimmer of luxurious. He wasn’t simply carving names—he was preserving legacy by element.
“For instance, my most difficult piece was a trophy I made for the New York Yacht Membership of the globe,” he added. “I made positive so as to add plenty of particulars—you realize, of the continents—in order that took me some months. However it was stunning work. I like it.”
That was the power of the day—intentional, layered, and deeply human. Each clasp, curve, and carat carried a narrative. Whether or not it was a lock symbolizing unity, a knot representing connection, or {hardware} embodying resilience, Tiffany’s design language turned jewellery into one thing extra: a mirrored image of who we’re.
In that second—draped in diamonds, surrounded by legacy—I didn’t really feel like I used to be simply making an attempt issues on. I felt like I used to be getting into my very own.
Contained in the Collaboration: Dionicia Beck & the Imaginative and prescient of Illustration
The girl who helped make the occasion potential, Dionicia Beck, serves as the shop director of Tiffany & Co. at Lenox Sq.. Her personal journey with the corporate spans almost 20 years.
“I’ve been making an attempt to get a Juneteenth occasion. Like, why wouldn’t we? Like, we’re in Atlanta!”
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She inspired attendees to suppose deeply in regards to the symbolism within the jewellery:
“While you take a look at these stunning jewellery collections, they’re not simply jewellery… While you consider a lock, what do you suppose? You consider safety. While you consider Tiffany Knot, you consider togetherness. You consider a bond. While you consider {Hardware}, you consider resilience.”
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To finish the occasion, she supplied a toast in Bowman’s honor with champagne and firm branded chocolate. In her message, she left the group with a problem:
“Discover your Tiffany’s.”
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Belonging, No matter Funds
From Bowman’s embrace to the workers’s attentiveness, and the swish reside music within the background, I felt like I had a seat on the desk, even when I didn’t swipe a card. This Juneteenth, we weren’t simply celebrating freedom—we have been making an attempt it on.