Hasta La Ideas

Woodworking scraps-turned-fashion in Navajo-inspired necklaces

The side project of CH contributor Mike Giles and his girlfriend Judy Lawrence, Miju jewelry is a peek into how the two mix Mike’s furniture design with a creative Montreal-based partnership. For Fall/Winter the duo created “Manha”—an 11-piece assortment of laser-cut wood gems.

Of the Native American-inspired collection, one of our favorites is the “T-Bird necklace” (also available as a brooch). Taking the classic Thunderbird silhouette, the duo then added detailed etching for geometric texture and an overall appealing design. Painted either gold or a combination of red and blue, the necklace hangs at a perfectly situated place across the collarbone, allowing for full visibility that works with a variety of necklines.

Each piece in the collection is made from solid walnut—remnants from other designs Giles creates in his Montreal-based woodworking shop, Furni. The Manha collection sells online from the Miju Etsy site, with prices starting at $36.