Joyce Makitalo Lands on the Pages of Marie Claire US Feb 2011

Yes it's true, and boy was I excited when I realized that a Filipino designer has once again landed on the pages of a US glossy.

Can you see the cuffs? They're right at the top of the page, front and center. $670 each.

 On page 45 in the 101 Ideas section, Joyce's bold, ornate gold cuffs are shown with an assortment of textured neutral extras. I don't think the pictures do them justice though. You'll really appreciate Joyce's craftmanship when you see her pieces up close.

My friend, stylist Alyanna Martinez, was the one who introduced me to Joyce. She used a lot of her pieces for her fashion shoots with Preview, and I would always compliment her on the attention-grabbing gigantic Makitalo rings she herself would wear. I would use them sparingly for some of my Cosmo shoots (the price points were a little too steep for our readers) but I felt that the materials (semi-precious stones that read like an encyclopedic list and brass dipped in 24k gold) and the raw, original designs more than justified the price. And her jewelry definitely deserve the press and fanfare.They're like works of art, and it's no surprise that the Ayala Museum was the first retailer to start selling her designs under the label Galleon a few years back.

Charm Aragalia Choker (turquoise, tiger's eye, aquamarine, aventurine, sodalite, apatite, agate and solid brass dipped in 24k gold)

Lakme Versicolor Valentina (turquoise, agate, aquamarine, amethyst, aventurine, solid brass dipped in 24k gold)

East Caligo Valentina Necklace (onyx, amethyst, agate, tiger's eye, freshwater pearls, jasper, cubic zirconian, mookie, solid brass dipped in 24k gold)

Venus Argente II Valentina Necklace (quartz, lapiz lazuli, white and blue turquoise, aquamarine, solid brass dipped in 24k gold)

I don't know how much these pieces sell now, but I highly recommend making the investment. I was just scrolling through the pieces on the site, and my sartorial senses are salivating over the amazing designs. See for yourself over at her website.

P.S. A Celestina multicolored clutch is also featured on the same section, page 42!