I’M STEPHANIE
DESIGNER & FOUNDER OF HYPNOVAMP:
Shadowy, atomic jewelry inspired by the past.
I grew up in something of a time capsule, surrounded by curiosities and relics of bygone eras. My grandparents were antique dealers; every inch of their mint green victorian farmhouse was brimming with fascinating objects, strange wallpaper, and gloriously outdated architectural details. I spent my childhood summers at this house, sorting through my grandmother’s costume jewelry, fostering a love for old music and movies (especially vintage horror flicks) and unknowingly building the foundation for the visual language that would someday become Hypnovamp.
Nostalgia is a driving force in my work, and I am forever chasing the dreamy, disorienting feeling one gets when in the presence of certain old objects. In particular, I am most “at home” around mid-century artifacts from the 1950’s and 60’s; there is a hazy sparkle in the design of that era — a juxtaposition of innocence, anxiety, and optimism that brings me great comfort.
Perhaps you too feel a strange longing for some period in the past?…
A homesickness for an era you never lived in?…
It is my hope that this jewelry can act as a portal, allowing you to dip a toe into another dimension. Not quite then, not quite now.
Blending ancient silversmithing techniques like hand-forging & lost wax casting with more modern technologies such as computer aided design & 3d printing, my jewelry-making process echoes this theme of merging past and future. I harvest my shapes from objects such as old televisions, art deco doorways and bakelite radios, giving them new life in smaller, synthesized forms. A love for monster movies and the cheerful malevolence of vintage Halloween decor also fuels the aesthetic, bringing a spooky sensibility to each piece.
You will find a wide array of stones in my work, from glamorous gems like faceted moissanite and shimmering rose-cut sapphire, to stranger specimens like glow in the dark quartz and uranium glass. I love to experiment and am periodically releasing preorders and collections of new work throughout the year.
It is such a joy for me to create these adornments, and I hope it is an equal joy for you to wear them. A piece of Hypnovamp jewelry is more than just a ring or necklace: it is a way to stay connected to the past, to feel powerful and rooted in the present, and to integrate your shadowy side with your sparkly side.
Thank you for joining me here.