In case you haven't heard of her, let us be the first to tell you: mega-talented jewelry designer Roula Nassar is going to be very, very big. Plastic might not be the ritziest of design materials, but one look at Roula's lookbook for her new label, Otto, and you'll be lusting after lucite like you never dreamed.
A California native, Roula spent ten years freelancing and designing pieces for friends in NYC before founding her own company just eight months ago. "It was a really terrifying decision," she says, "But now I see it was the only one to make!"
Equal parts futurism and Art Deco, Roula's sleek, geometric pieces look like placards of colored glass, or artifacts from some distant alien regime. Each Otto piece is meticulously constructed of glossy hand-beveled acrylic that is hand-bound in suede ribbon and coated wire. "I love the idea of using cold and warm materials," explains Nassar, "like the acrylic and suede combinations found in the necklaces, or combining contrasting materials like plastic and wood into one object."
The versatile designer has already begun work on two new Otto undertakings: a small collection of lucite handbags, and furniture made from lucite and birch wood. Prices range from $495 to $545, and she's currently accepting pre-orders. For details, contact Roula at info@ottonewyork.com, or visit the website at www.ottonewyork.com.
