With her jewelry gracing the red carpets of Hollywood and the pristine shelves of the Loupe in Minneapolis, Irene Neuwirth’s universe is anything but neutral. Since launching her eponymous brand in 2003, the fine jewelry designer has developed a devoted following for her saturated hues, unexpected stones and a certain offbeat elegance. Her pieces are often playful and at times cheeky, each one composed with the instinct — and inheritance — of a painter.
Photography provided by the Loupe
That comparison is hardly an exaggeration. Neuwirth’s love of art and color was sparked early, shaped by a bohemian painter mother and tempered by her business-minded father’s entrepreneurial drive. After college, she began stringing glass beads and blending precious and semiprecious stones with little more than instinct. Soon, requests for her exceptional pieces began pouring in from fashionistas, including celebrities.
Long before her designs adorned the Taylor Swifts and Oprah Winfreys of the world, Neuwirth had her sights set on the luxury jewelry space. “I’ve loved jewelry for as long as I can remember,” she says. “My mom would take me to Barneys, and I would get lost on the jewelry floor.” That early infatuation still pulses through her work today, most notably in her embrace of mixing unique stones together without pretense or plan. For Neuwirth, perfection isn’t the point. Presence is. And her pieces have it in spades.
That sentiment hasn’t wavered. “One of my first pieces was a peridot beaded necklace with vintage beads hanging from the strand,” she recalls. “I couldn’t believe it when I saw it in the cases at Barneys. It was such a full-circle moment.” Though the now-shuttered department store has faded into memory, it’s given rise to new spaces that champion independent designers, like the Loupe, a North Loop darling known for its expertly curated fine jewelry collections.
It’s here that Neuwirth’s recently launched Heroic Collection shines, including a pair of one-of-a-kind hoops that feature vibrant drops of tourmaline (one in glowing pink, the other in sunlit yellow) hung from the collection’s signature gold triple hoops.
This collection builds on Neuwirth’s enduring love of vibrant gemstones, but this time, the focus shifts to the gold itself. “With this collection, I wanted to focus on the gold settings, too,” she says. “I started by stacking my gold bands together, creating a look that felt bold and feminine.” That vision takes shape in sculptural silhouettes that verge on architectural: chunky rings, sweeping cuffs and earrings meant to be worn in joyful layers.
There’s no shortage of pieces to admire. The collection has turned the Loupe into a veritable candy store for the jewelry- and color-obsessed. The rings are an undeniable focal point. Each one features a dramatic gemstone variation — from pink tourmaline and aquamarine to rainbow moonstone and diamond pavé — set atop stackable bands that strike a balance between strength and sophistication. And once you’ve chosen your favorite, chances are the perfect matching necklace, earring or cuff is waiting nearby, ready to complete the look.
No matter the selection — or where one chooses to wear it, be it a lakeside garden party in Wayzata or a gala in Manhattan — Neuwirth’s hope is the same: that her designs leave their wearer feeling “beautiful, feminine, bold and empowered.” That may sound easy for someone whose work graces star-studded events and private collections, but the effect is anything but. Neuwirth travels the globe in search of rare and radiant gemstones, then returns to her Los Angeles studio to dream up the designs for each collection.
No detail is overlooked; even the packaging feels collectible. Neuwirth’s pieces are housed in custom-dyed suede and silk, in saturated shades pulled straight from her signature palette. The colors are vibrant, the textures lush. Inside, pouches and boxes are lined with ethereal prints by contemporary painter Aaron Morse — an unexpected touch and intentional nod to Neuwirth’s love of art that echoes the dreaminess of the jewelry itself.
So what’s next — beyond her expanded trunk show arriving at the Loupe this December? She’s keeping us on the edge of our seats. “I’m always inspired and working on new things,” she offers. “You’ll just have to wait and see.” Like any artist who knows better than to reveal her process, Neuwirth keeps the future delightfully vague. But if history is any indication, it will sparkle — with color, character and plenty of charm.
