MAYA BRENNER

Twenty years ago Maya was working full-time as a social worker with inner city youth in New York City. Work was grueling but she found peace each evening designing and hand crafting her own jewelry. After unsuccessfully searching for a perfectly sentimental piece of jewelry for her mother’s 50th birthday, she was inspired to make her own necklace, using the skills she had perfected during all of those nights of beading and wire wrapping. Soon strangers and acquaintances were asking who the designer was and Maya Brenner Designs was born.

The opportunities continued when she moved her life to Los Angeles in 2001.  Maya designed what was to become one of her most iconic collections, the state necklaces, inspired by her new Cali life.  The collection was picked up by such notable retailers as Fred Segal, Liberty London and Neiman Marcus.  During this time, Maya was tapped to be the head designer for Stella & Dot when they were a start-up company, which eventually led to her authoring the book Beaded Jewelry: Create Your Own Style.

When in search for a chic mom centric necklace to commemorate the birth of her daughter in 2007, Maya created her most popular and sought after style to date - the Asymmetrical Letter Necklace.  In 2016 this collection was made world famous when Meghan Markle was spotted wearing an “MH” necklace, revealing her fairytale relationship with Prince Harry.

Maya’s designs have been worn by everyone from celebrities to royalty but ask what her greatest achievement has been and she’ll tell you it’s motherhood. Jack, Sadie and Otis are the true gems in her life.