Athena Calderone Launches Debut Jewelry Collection, and Shares 5 Styling Tips

Mastering the art of layering across interiors, recipes, and personal style, Athena Calderone (EyeSwoon) now turns her refined eye to jewelry — collaborating with designer Reed Krakoff for John Hardy. Here, she shares the creative journey behind her debut collection, along with thoughtful jewelry styling tips with intention — from a wedding day to the elevated everyday.

“When designer Reed Krakoff – known for his modern minimalism, ed. – asked me to collaborate on this jewelry capsule for John Hardy, my heart skipped a beat,” says multi-faceted creative Athena Calderone. With her multidisciplinary studio, Calderone (aka EyeSwoon) moves between interiors, culinary arts, and storytelling, always guided by a sharp sense of style and architectural precision. Her signature jet-black bob, poised elegance, and sculptural aesthetic echo the very essence of Krakoff’s refined design philosophy.

“I love to bring my sense of style and design to any creative medium,” Athena shares. “Being presented with this opportunity to explore design in a completely new realm was incredibly exciting. As a designer, I am always drawing connections — sometimes even chasing them — across different periods, styles, and creative disciplines. This collection is no exception.”

She continues, warmly: “This is my debut jewelry collection, and I am beyond proud of what we created together. I’ll admit I was intimidated by the prospect of designing within a medium that was so new to me, but Reed and I have this beautiful mind meld. He encouraged me to embrace the creative chaos, to see the beauty in the unknown, and to allow new possibilities to emerge.”

The creative process behind Athena Calderone’s debut jewelry collection was as layered and intuitive as her approach to interiors. There was extensive research — eras explored, textures pinned to moodboards, ideas exchanged in rhythm. “It was super fluid but also really fun and iterative,” she reflects. “We were constantly encouraging one another to push boundaries.”

Her visual references spanned the 1920s and 30s through to the 80s and 90s, each era offering a different perspective on form and proportion. But one of the most consistent — and perhaps unexpected — sources of inspiration was the home. “I mean, I can’t not think of the home, of interiors, in anything I design,” Athena says with a smile. While it may seem counterintuitive to cite domestic space as the foundation for a jewelry collection, for her, it felt entirely natural. “It’s what I know best, and it’s where I feel most creative.”

That balance of historical reference and personal instinct is evident throughout the collection: hammered finishes recall the 1930s work of French designer Jean Després — celebrated for his modernist jewelry and home objects; black silk rope threaded through crystal gestures to the graphic edge of the late 1980s; and a voluminous cuff evokes the bold silhouettes of the 1970s.

When she began sketching, the female form came to mind — a shape both strong and soft, architectural yet organic. “The collar, for instance, could belong to the 1920s, the 1990s, or today, with its refined sophistication and classic shape,” Athena explains. “It gently follows the shape of a woman’s collarbone, while the intentional break — a delicate strip of diamonds — introduces a rhythmic tension, a quiet contradiction that I love.”

The collection unfolds as a 27-piece edit of refined, sculptural jewelry — primarily cast in silver with accents of 14K gold, black temple stone, silk rope, rock crystal, and delicate rows of diamonds.

Even though it’s her first jewelry collection, Athena is the one to take style cues from. Below, she shares her key takeaways for choosing and styling jewelry with intention.

1. Let It Begin as a Ritual

“I’ve always loved the quiet ritual of choosing a piece of jewelry and the sentiment it evokes when worn. It’s very personal and intimate.”

Athena approaches getting dressed as a gentle act of self-expression — one that begins with feeling, not formality. Whether it’s a delicate chain slipped on before coffee or a sculptural choker worn out to dinner, each piece holds a story, a mood, a memory.

“I wear jewelry to channel a certain energy,” she says. “To feel grounded, elegant, and just a little mysterious.” The message? Let your jewelry reflect who you are before it tries to impress anyone else.

2. Draw Confidence from Quiet Icons

“When I’m styling jewelry, I often think of the women whose style I admire — Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, Eileen Gray, and Tina Chow, who embody this effortless elegance.”

For Athena, elegance is never about excess — it’s about restraint, clarity, and quiet impact. Her muses all share a similar ethos: timeless minimalism with soul. The kind of style that doesn’t ask for attention, but commands it.

When layering pieces or choosing a singular bold item, she asks: Would it feel at home on one of these women? Would it whisper rather than shout?

3. Embrace the Tension

“I’m always drawn to contrast, a quiet tension that isn’t immediately apparent to the eye, but you feel it when you see it.”

This idea of subtle contradiction runs through all of Athena’s design work — and jewelry is no exception. She plays with volume, scale, and texture to create pieces that are quietly provocative.

“Juxtaposing something voluminous or bulbous with something dainty and refined creates a kind of push and pull,” she explains. It’s this unexpected pairing — a chunky cuff with a barely-there silk blouse, a raw crystal pendant on bare skin — that adds depth and intrigue.

4. Style for the Mood, Not the Moment

“I love to wear pieces that appear bold but are quietly elegant.”

When dressing for a special occasion, Athena doesn’t pivot into extravagance — she leans deeper into intention. One favorite piece from the new collection: a silk cord choker with black temple stone, native to Bali, sliced delicately through the center by a row of diamonds.

Its raw, matte finish set against the crystalline gleam creates a kind of sensory poetry — one that doesn’t scream for attention, but lingers in memory.

5. Style like a Space

“Styling jewelry isn’t so dissimilar from styling a room.”

Athena’s background in interiors gives her a unique lens: one where form, feeling, and space all carry equal weight. Her approach to jewelry mirrors her approach to a beautifully balanced room — intuitive, considered, and anchored in emotion.

Athena’s go-to principles:

• Play With Contrast — “Pair sculptural pieces with softness — a chunky cuff over a slim knit sleeve or layered necklaces against silk. That tension brings life to the look.”
• Lean Into Sentiment — “Jewelry should be emotionally driven, not just decorative. Choose pieces that speak to who you are or how you want to feel.”
• Exercise Restraint — “Know when to stop. Editing is everything — one powerful piece worn with clarity can be far more impactful than five.”