Re-visioning Shakespeare through Jewels: the Case of Marla Aaron

Abstract

This essay looks at Shakespeare through the eyes of an American contemporary designer, Marla Aaron, one of the most original voices in the field of luxury jewellery. Since 2012, when she started her namesake brand, she has been redefining what fine jewellery means thanks to her transformative and fanciful pieces. Shakespeare surfaces several times in Aaron’s artistic output, from her business card featuring a quote from The Two Gentlemen of Verona to Sonnet 130, engraved on one of her creations. The essay sheds light on the way a contemporary artist re-visions Shakespeare and his works to resonate her message of love, self-acceptance and inclusion. The analysis of Aaron’s engagement with Shakespeare may contribute to defining the playwright’s status as an icon in the 21^st century and to answering the question of what Shakespeare really is and how a female artist may determine it.