Designers Rochelle Lee and Natalie Holst.

Designed by Southern-born, Brooklyn-based designers Natalie Holst and Rochelle Lee, Holst + Lee jewelry is an unlikely blend of techno and tribal that is nothing short of eye-catching. The duo brilliantly mixes neon shades and unique textures, crafting pieces that play to the season’s love affair with all things bright and beautiful. We talked with the designers about building a brand together, collaborating with Mara Hoffman and Cut 25, and what’s on the horizon for their self-named label.

Shopbop: Tell us about how and why you decided to launch Holst + Lee together.
Natalie Holst & Rochelle Lee: We met in NYC as transplants from the South. Instantly friends, we found that our love of fashion and art was mutual. We had both always wanted to start our own lines and the collaboration between the two of us grew very organically. We started making jewelry just for ourselves because we always felt like we were unable to find what we were looking for to complete our outfits. At the time, we were both running very high-end, very trendy restaurants and clubs, and part of our job was to look put-together and a bit edgy and hip. Our accessories allowed us to express ourselves with the bold use of color and texture, and we quickly noticed that women literally wanted to rip the necklaces off our necks, which is when we knew we were on to something.

SB: You work with found objects in your designs. What made you decide to take this direction?
NH & RL: We both had boxes and boxes full of things we had collected over the years. One day we decided to take everything we had—beads, ropes, brooches, fabric, you name it—and dumped it on a big table and literally dove in and started creating. Over time, our designs became much more refined, but this organic way of designing was how the whole thing started. I’m sure you all have a junk drawer in your house and you always wonder what you’re going to do with all that stuff. Well, invite a friend over and combine them, and you never know!

SB: Being a two-person design team, we imagine your work process is rather unique. Can you tell us about how you approach design together?
NH & RL: It really helps that we are best friends, first of all. That kind of relationship allows for complete honesty. It’s so funny, when we do go to sit and bring ideas to the table, we often find they are identical. One of us will say, “I’m really into cool-looking snakes right now,” and the next thing you know the other person has already done five pulls of pictures of snakes and puts them on the table. It’s a little freaky sometimes! We do find, though, that we work best when one person starts a piece, and then we switch midway through and kind of finish the other person’s thought. It’s an interesting way of constantly inspiring the other person.

SB: Where do you go to find inspiration for your pieces?
NH & RL: Really from anywhere and everywhere. Living in New York City is a constant source of renewing inspiration. Every day we are bombarded with hordes of people that are dressed in such fantastic, quirky ways.

A lot of it also has to do with our personal mood and environment at the time. When the weather is cold, like all New Yorkers, we gravitate toward greys and blacks. When it’s a beautiful summer day, we gravitate toward neon orange and bright turquoise. It’s like living out the seasons artistically.

SB: You collaborated with Mara Hoffman and Cut 25 for their spring 2012 runway collections. How did that come about?
NH & RL: Our collaborations with Mara Hoffman and Cut 25 were amazing! We met Mara’s stylist, Lysa Cooper, when we were out in Montauk. She felt our stuff was completely on vibe with what Mara was working on at the time—a kind of free-spirited Mexicana mama, as she called it. Our bright, fun, and high-energy jewelry complemented the line so much, it was a perfect combination. Cut 25 came to us after we met their stylist at our good friend Jill Demling’s Pret-a-Surf party. A lot of the colors that Yigal was using for the line were found within our jewelry. His vibe for the collection was an ’80s surfer girl, which again fit perfectly with our line.

It was very interesting to see two totally different aesthetics and ways of styling. It really helped us show our diversity, and having the opportunity to work with such talented designers was an honor.

SB: Tell us about what’s next for Holst + Lee. What does the future hold?
NH & RL: Well, hopefully we can continue to create things that people enjoy as much as we do. We think staying true to your brand and believing in it and embodying what you design is the only way to grow as designers. Holst + Lee hopes to grow in an organic way and eventually work our way into clothing design. After all, you can’t accessorize if you have nothing to wear.

Shop Holst + Lee jewelry on Shopbop.