FEATURE
Sublima Jewelry Founder : Kelly Bit What it is : A sleek , sustainably made , Asian American-inspired jewelry brand .
From hoop earrings made to resemble xiaolongbao ( dumplings ) to rings that bring to mind spilled boba tea , Sublima Jewelry is a brand with a purpose beyond a love for accessorizing – though , there is that as well . What started out as a creative outlet , away from her full-time work as a business writer and editor , Kelly Bit turned into a way to explore her personal identity through artistic creations .
While Bit was brought up on Long Island , her parents and partner grew up in and around Chinatown . Visiting local neighborhood spots with her partner , Bit was able to reconnect with the neighborhood in a way that she hadn ’ t been able to when she was younger .
“ I think my relationship with Manhattan ’ s Chinatown grew a lot as an adult , and I started feeling more at home and more like an integral part of the community because I was supporting the businesses ,” Bit explained .
In the beginning stages of the pandemic , Bit began donating some of the proceeds from Sublima ’ s sales to non-profit and charitable organizations dedicated to supporting the Asian American community , social justice reform programs , and food banks helping those who were vulnerable during the pandemic . To date , she has donated almost $ 80,000 of profits to organizations including Welcome to Chinatown , the Asian American Federation , Asian Americans for Equality , Charles B . Wang Community Health Center , Equal Justice Initiative , Feeding America , and more .
While many of Sublima ’ s current pieces are inspired by Asian culture , that was not always the case . Bit explained that the initial items she produced in 2017 were more abstract designs , but as the brand grew , she became more inspired by her family ’ s cultural background .
For Bit , food became a way she could ingest her culture , both literally and metaphorically , in a way that felt approachable to her and many other firstgeneration Asian Americans .
“ Food , I think , is always such a cultural connector , even between people of different ethnicities and cultures , but also when you ’ re of the ethnicity and culture ,” she mused . “ I grew up with certain dishes that my dad would make , or my grandma on my mom ’ s side would make . So I had certain ways to feel very connected . But then there was a lot to learn about different regional cuisines and things that I hadn ’ t learned when I was a child .
“ When Chinatown was struggling during the pandemic , I felt really , really sad , for my own relationship to the neighborhood , but also because of my parents ’ and grandparents ’ relationships .”
In 2020 , Bit launched the Water Banquet collection , which was inspired by different cultural delicacies . There are earrings inspired by tofu skin and bok choy , and rings inspired by the decorative edges of porcelain bowls and spoons that are common in many Chinese households .
“ Those pieces meant something to me personally when I was thinking of creating them because I feel like jewelry can be so powerful , as a signifier that ’ s very outward – and it can be a signifier of pride ,” Bit explained . “ To beautify culture , especially food , I thought was kind of unexpected , but also personally meaningful . And I think a lot of people have liked that inspiration .”
The Water Banquet collection features rings inspired by the decorative edges of porcelain bowls and spoons .
26 www . insideretail . us September 2023