By Anna Koutelas

On a chilly night in the middle of October, I walk up the steps of the brownstone and into the studio of Jocelyn and Emily DeSisto, the founders of the New York City-based jewelry brand, Lot28. Founded in 2018 by the sister duo, the brand birthed from an affinity for jewelry and the natural world. Jocelyn explains, “When we’re designing, we think about two things- what we can create to make our girls not only feel beautiful, but also excited about healing our relationship with the environment.” The harmony of these values is palpable as soon as I step into the Lot28 studio.

Dive Into Lot28

In the main room, jewelry from Lot28’s first and second collections is spread out across a table. A colorful palette showcasing aquamarine gemstones, freshwater pearls, deep sea glass enamel, and more. At first impression, the collective body of work is visually striking. Looking closer at the details of the jewelry, nuanced and elegant nods to nature rise to the surface. The designers’ choices of color, texture and form are largely inspired by creatures from the environment- fungi, sea stars, and coral polyp, to name a few. Having both an aesthetically beautiful and biological feel, this jewelry has a quality to it that makes you instinctively want to reach out and touch- and I do just that.

Reaching toward the jewelry, I’m met by Jocelyn and Emily, who encourage me to try some of the pieces on. The jewelry seems to have a pulse of its own, jumping from the worktable and weaving throughout the studio. Jocelyn wears a Jelly Charm, looped on a gold chain and clasped around her neck. Emily wears the Oxygen Ring, one of a few stackable rings that she’s styled on both hands. Both designers’ nails are painted colorfully to compliment the jewelry, a trend immediately picked up and shown off by girls wearing Lot28 designs all over social media. Emily’s Dalmatian, Hudson, is sitting on a couch nearby, who you can spot wearing a Lot28 necklace on occasion. 

Looking around the Lot28 studio, it’s clear that the DeSistos have not only created a jewelry brand, but have extended its reach to encompass an entire lifestyle of jewelry. They’ve curated their own ecosystem, and it’s one that you want to be a part of.

The cornerstone of the DeSistos’ jewelry brand is a plot of land on an island in Maine, called Lot28. Their father having bought the property when he was just 18 years old, it’s been the family’s most cherished gathering spot for over 25 years. It was here that the designers first fostered their relationship to nature, a connection that would later influence their jewelry designs. Spending stretches of time on this relatively untouched plot of land, they had uninterrupted time to be present in nature. Swimming in the water, watching seasons change, and most importantly for the sisters, being close to the rest of their family. It was an intuitive progression for them to name the jewelry brand after this plot of land, and the Lot28 title acts as a constant homage to the DeSistos’ family and heritage.

In the fall of 2020, Lot28 debuted their first fine jewelry capsule, Two Fahrenheit. The inspiration behind this collection was the two-degree change in ocean water temperature that causes coral bleaching. An immediate standout from this collection was the Sea Kelp Superdrop Earrings. The designers created these earrings by 3D printing the design into resin, setting the resin into sterling silver, and completing the piece with a textured, hand-painted finish. This particular design is integrated throughout Two Fahrenheit, and for good reason. Showcasing the designers’ equal parts beautiful and biotic design language, this creation set the precedent for the echelon of design that can be expected to come out of the Lot28 studio.

On November 15th of 2021, Lot28 released Upside, their highly anticipated second fine jewelry collection. Upside has all of the trademarks of a Lot28 brainchild, but has also followed an organic progression, as nature often does. While the designers’ past collection was intended to spread awareness about pressing climate issues, Upside aims to shift the conversation toward sustainable solutions for us and our planet. Emily explains, “We still want to bring the conversation about climate forward to everyone. But we don’t want to do it in a way that makes people feel overconsumed by it.” Created to inspire conversation around the positive solutions that fungi present in slowing global climate change, Upside focuses on the vital role that fungi play in removing CO2 from the atmosphere. 

Upside’s main character takes shape throughout the collection. A set of rings pays subtle tribute to the rounded shape life of fungi. A pair of earrings references individual mushrooms, gold mushroom caps sitting above their dangly pearl stems. The fungi-inspired world of Upside has manifested into physical designs that are as captivating as the message behind them.

Distinct from Lot28’s fine jewelry collections, the designers periodically release pieces that are more casual, and suitable for everyday wear. Emily shares, “We want to create jewelry that is special and unique, but that is also wearable.” Following this line of thought came the release of the Jelly Rings. The rings’ candy-like color options, ability to be stacked, and accessible price point made them an instant hit- especially among young, “cool girl” clientele looking to build up their jewelry collections. Released shortly after were the Jelly Hoops, the older sister to the rings that can be mixed and matched seamlessly. The latest release was the Jelly Charms, 3D letters that can be bought individually and grouped to spell out initials, a name, or as the DeSistos suggest- maybe even a climate message. 

The option to personalize your Lot28 designs doesn't end with the jelly jewelry. The brand is unique in offering a customization service for fine jewelry pieces, giving clients the option to have a direct hand in the design process. This service is particularly sought-after by clients looking for jewelry to mark a special occasion, such as an engagement ring or a pair of earrings for a wedding. Thrilled to offer this option to clients, Jocelyn explains, “What’s really special about the engagement rings, is that they’re this beautiful piece of jewelry that you commit to wearing every day. I love designing one of a kind rings, and specifically value the opportunity we offer our clients to know where our materials are coming from.”

It’s no surprise that it excites the DeSistos to chat with clients about where their materials are coming from, because the designers’ chosen materials are meticulously researched, selected and sourced. They acquire their colored stones from a third-generation family company, who has an intimate relationship with the community the stones are mined from. The designers frequently work with antique diamonds, recycled gemstones that were originally cut in the early 1900s by hand. Their jewelry integrates recycled glass beads, freshwater pearls, and partially recycled gold. The list goes on. At face value, the visual beauty of Lot28’s jewelry is more than enough to attract eager clientele. But, in the case that you want to dig deeper into the backstory, the designers will happily walk you through any, or every, step of the process.

Whether you gravitate toward the brand’s fine jewelry collections, customizable pieces, everyday jelly jewelry, or all of the above, the founders warmly welcome you into their ecosystem. The designers share, “We always want our girls to feel cool and beautiful while wearing Lot28. But I also hope that they will feel a sense of empowerment in their voice.” Considering the community of Lot28-wearing clientele that the brand has aggregated in only their third year of business, their intention to empower has certainly come to fruition. As the buzz around Lot28 continues to build, now is the time to make the plunge- if you haven’t already, that is. You can start by perusing Upside, as well as their entire body of work, on the brand’s website. Afterward, you can join the rest of us in impatiently anticipating the next wave of designs to emerge from the studio at Lot28.

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