Meet Carla Cohen, a wife, mother, FABULOUS {raw} food-y, travel addict, fashionista, and of course, the creative and inspiring marvel behind Minnesota jewelry brand, Via Patina. But don’t let “Minnesota” fool you. Inspired by many facets of her life, Carla’s unique and individual designs are curated with a variety of aged metals and semi-precious stones stemming from all over the world. Whether you’re a tribal princess, colorfully contemporary, or an edgy minimalist, Carla has something for you to add to your jewelry collection - we guarantee it! While each collection expresses its own personality, all of her lines stay true to the Via Patina brand by their rich colors and textures. Now sit back, relax, and get to know the lovely Carla Cohen {don’t worry, you can thank us for the introduction later}! How did you get into the jewelry designing industry? I have always had a love for fashion from a very young age. I remember having a subscription to Vogue at age 12 and sitting in my room for hours putting together trend boards with magazine clippings. My child hood dream was to go to school to be a designer but I ended up on a different path. I spent my years after college graduation climbing the corporate ladder. Throughout my corporate career I found myself always needing to create. I always had side projects to fuel my creative and entrepreneurial spirit. A few years ago while on vacation my daughter and I stumbled upon a bead shop were we created a necklace together. That’s when everything clicked. I finally found a medium that combined every thing that I was drawn to. It was all about combining my love of fashion with my love of color and texture. After months of playing in my studio and giving away pieces to friends and family, I finally decided to turn my hobby into a brand.
Tell us about your jewelry line, Via Patina, and how did you come up with the name? The Via Patina brand is comprised of an eclectic mix of collections that change seasonally. I love to curate collections that each have their own personality but share a common color palette and style. In terms of the name, I have always loved things that have a rich patina to them. Whether an aged piece of metal or old plaster, patina represents something that has grown beautiful with age or prolonged use. When I started designing jewelry, I found myself migrating towards aged metals. I loved the character that they had and I envisioned my pieces to be ones that people would want to hold onto and cherish unlike an inexpensive piece of costume jewelry that has been mass-produced and is quite disposable.
How would you describe your personal style? I would say that my style is pretty eclectic. It is sort of classic with an edge. I love fashion and exploring trends but do not let them dictate my personal style. I feel that true style is something that comes from within and is not dictated by external sources. That feels fake to me.
Where do you go for inspiration for Via Patina? That’s always a tough question for me but probably one of the most asked questions of any designer. I know there are many designers that have these elaborate explanations for their design process and where they find inspiration but for me it is quite simple. It is really all about the materials. I look at design as story telling. When I am in my studio, I have to have all of my materials out on display where I can see them. I then begin selecting chain and stones and laying them out and really let the piece evolve. I think the characteristics of each semi-precious stone given their unique nature tell their own story. I love working with different colors and textures and how they interact together in a piece.
What is your favorite Via Patina collection and why? I would have to say that the Alchemy collection is probably my favorite. I love all of the mixed metals in the collection. There are pieces in aged Bronze, Silver and Gold. They are the most versatile in the line. I consider them to be my go to pieces, especially when I’m running out the door and need a quick piece to complete an outfit. What I love about the collection is the versatility and how you can wear one simple necklace with jeans and a plain white t-shirt or they can also be layered for a more dramatic look.
What adds “pep” to your step? A great morning workout, a green smoothie, a fabulous cup of coffee and a killer task list.
How do you spend your weekends? My weekends are all about family which includes my husband, daughter and our adopted Shih Poo. My husband and I are foodies so we love to eat out and explore new restaurants. We all love to go to the Mill City Farmers Market and from there we really enjoy spontaneous detours that take us to unexpected places. We have been known to start our day in the morning in one city and end up at home that night three cities later. We love the sense of adventure with starting out with a plan and just letting our day evolve. It really takes the pressure off of everything being so scheduled and precise. I also love to spend time in my studio painting and creating mixed media art. I love to cook and enjoy teaching healthy cooking classes at my local health food store.