From engineering in San Francisco to joining the Peace Corps in Africa, Thandie Harris-Sapp has made her way around the world, trying out a bit of everything. And it seems like she’s finally landed somewhere comfortable – right in Amsterdam, working on her exquisite jewelry collection, SiRA.O.

During her time in the West African state of Mali, Harris-Sapp discovered her talent for jewelry-making. With the help of some locals who taught her the craft of metal-smithing, Harris-Sapp honed her skill and brought it to the U.S. so she could continue to make jewelry for her personal collection. It wasn’t until a few years later that she took it on full-time, after the dot com collapse, which left her stranded in the corporate world. “So out came the beads and silver, and SiRA.O was born,” said Harris-Sapp, matter-of-factly.

SiRA.O, shortened from Harris-Sapp’s African nickname, Sira Ongoiba, is imbued with African roots and offers delicate, hand-made pieces that complement any outfit. One of our favorites is a particularly sumptuous necklace that features a gold encased lion claw straight from the Serengeti. Guaranteed to make you feel fabulous and fierce!

Harris-Sapp credits her imaginative line to her globe-trotting adventures. She says she finds inspiration for her designs everywhere from the wonder of history and architecture to the excitement of couture fashion and style.

In addition to bright-toned stones and organic metals like bronze and silver, Harris-Sapp uses a range of materials and methods to reflect her constantly evolving taste for unique jewelry.

“My favorite aspect of my collection is its moodiness,” she said. “It seems that for a few seasons my jewelry can be identified as a SiRA.O piece, and then I go off and do something very [different].”  

Harris-Sapp experiments to craft the perfect piece, and she notes that her method for jewelry-making may be a little unusual.

“I tend to be one of those backward designers. I buy the stones before I design a piece. I rely on the stones to tell me what they want to be,” she said.

It's obvious Harris-Snapp has a gift for designing--backwards or forwards.  “It is a genuine passion that fuels me,” she explains.

For more info on SiRA.O visit: http://www.seekingdesigners.com/thandie