From starring in films like Thirteen to The Twilight Saga, actress Nikki Reed has seen her fair share of both drama and fantasy. Now, Reed is directing her efforts to reimagining the very real world of eco-destructive jewelry. Since launching her sustainable lifestyle platform BaYou With Love in 2017 with partner Morgan Bogle, Reed has been combating the neglect of sustainability within the fashion industry, with the added support of technology company Dell.
Dell approached Reed just six months after BaYou With Love’s launch with a curious proposition. “[Dell] recognized that I was a voice in the sustainable arena. They had extracted a significant amount of 24k gold from the motherboards from their technology and they came to me to see if I had any ideas on how to use it,” Reed says of the unique collaboration. She adds that she was immediately very passionate about designing and producing fine jewelry using Dell’s 100% recycled gold. “It’s so fascinating how we were somehow able to merge the fashion and technology worlds with this. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before,” Reed explains.
BaYou With Love
Now, after a year of working with Dell (with no plans of slowing down), Reed has produced two fine jewelry collections, one bridal line and her latest collection is set to launch later this year.
Each piece of jewelry made boasts synthetic diamonds grown in California and ethically mined sapphires. Reed’s passion for moving towards a more conscious fashion industry is obvious, and started with her own consumption, including what she was buying, putting on her body and in her body. That passion, brought to life with BaYou With Love (which was Reed’s trademarked name before she knew what she would do with it) extends beyond her own timeless jewelry. “I also focus heavily on bringing together other locally made or U.S. made products, highlighting female founded companies. We don’t just sell BaYou through our website, but through other brands. It is important to use the platform that I have as a channel for other companies that I think deserve the same.”
The BaYou With Love bridal jewelry includes, as Reed describes, pieces that live beyond the moment, because that’s what your bridal pieces should represent. Design-wise, each item is delicate and classic, which is why Reed sums up her mindset as a designer saying, “We want less and less to end up in landfills and we want more and more pieces to be bought with the idea to pass them down to family and keeping them for beyond a lifetime.”
