Worlds of Inspiration, Glamour, Spiritual Uplift and Great Style

The Brilliant Susie Hoimes and the Dazzling Jessica Jesse Launch a Highly Original new Jewelry Collection, BuDhaGirl

BuDhaGirl includes faux shagreen bracelets, a dramatic cuff in which to hide secret messages, a lovely pendant with a prayer enclosed, ‘gold’ bracelets to wear by the dozen, and charming BuDhaBoy pendants.

Giving the collection a higher purpose, there are also clever ways of giving each day new ideas, power, bold purpose, a calm mood, focus, resolve, all with lots of individual style and glamour. Read on to find out how. 

Oh, and, here’s the top-secret news that no-one else knows: BuDhaGirl will also be offering, on its new website www.budhagirl.com, the BuDhaGirl Museum with very special one-of-a-kind pieces by Harry Fireside, chic vintage Chanel pieces, Mughal jewels, and elegant rings, all selected by Susie. Can’t wait. 

Chanel cuff from the BuDhaGirl Museum

I love it when my friends launch bold new companies that will inspire others.

BuDhaGirl (the name and logo are deliberately rather mysterious) is a new jewelry company—just launched by my wonderfully talented friends Jessica Jesse in Dallas and Susie Hoimes in San Francisco.

I’ve known Susie, a vintage jewels specialist, for years. If you’ve seen me at the opera or ballet or at Cotogna or Zuni or a celebratory dinner in the Napa Valley recently, I’ve most likely been wearing rare and special vintage earrings I found at Susie’s San Francisco shop, MDVII Vintage.

Susie has long been known internationally as a fantastic source for name vintage (think Cartier, Chanel, Bulgari, and Indian or French or English vintage earrings and necklaces, pieces of power.

Jessica Jesse, the most stylish and gracious woman in Texas, is equally known in fashion circles of the world. She’s a longtime confidante and bosom pale of Givenchy and leading fashion designers, and noted for thoughtful and involved philanthropy.

BuDhaGirl is a collection of newly designed jewelry for everyday wear, full of inspiration and stimulation for the brain and spirit.

Come with me and take a close look at these pieces. And follow along with the ideas and concepts and philosophy of their pieces—that are so much more than adornment. They’re bracelets and pendants with affirmations to wear, and one specific bracelet design I love, The All-Weather Bracelet, that is sealed with BuDhaGirl prayer beads. It’s spirituality and style. 

BuDhaGirl is a unique and a “first” in the global market by giving beautiful objects a purpose and ritual. BuDhaGirl addresses present-day style and pre-occupations, while honoring the wisdom of ancient ideas.

The line is currently sold on the BuDhaGirl website at www.BuDhaGirl.com, Elizabeth Charles and Ceylon Et Cie starting at $35 to $395. 

“The empires of the future are the empires of the mind.” —Winston Churchill

BuDhaGirl products are a compelling mix of ornament and spiritual touchstones.

“BuDhaGirl’s concept begins with objects and glamorous jewelry through create brain health through purposeful interaction,” said Jessica Jesse, who is into research and health and brain waves. I love this.

“BuDhaGirl can be worn just simply as pretty bracelets and necklaces, but we aim to bring wisdom of the ancients such as Buddha and other wise ones and Christian, Jewish and Secular symbols to our lives,” said Susie, who wears the All-Weather Bangles daily. “The BuDhaGirl spirit and aesthetic is a blend of iconic, traditional and edgy ideas. Plus for me it’s important to always be chic.” 

Temple Chain

BuDhaGirl’s Temple Chain is a classic 34 inches, a length that allows for the option of doubling it into a choker. Its links are round, square and rectangular….life is variable. The rectangular links feature a clear crystal bead and a miniature hand-finished Buddha. 

“Tyrants have not yet discovered any chains that can fetter the mind.” —Charles Caleb Colton

BuDhaBoy Pendants 

Our BuDaBoy Pendants are fun little friends, to see and touch. They were inspired by a jade Buddha carved in the modernist style. Fabricated in resin to minimize weight; each features the BuDhaGirl “Chop” seal encrusted on the back. An acrylic box showcases them as cheerful little museum pieces. The BuDhaBoys: Neon, Moss, and Chica.


BuDhaGirl’s key for wearing, Susie Says:

“At the start of your day, pick one, two or three BuDhaBoys to help carry you through your chores and responsibilities with a sense of purpose. It’s the process, not the deed. Combine the “Boys” with the Torque, Ottoman Silk Cords or Temple Chain.”

“I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way — things I had no words for.” —Georgia O’Keefe

Meet Susie Hoimes and Jessica Jesse:  The Creative Women Who Dreamed Up BuDhaGirl 

Above, Susie, right, and Jessica at their launch party at La Grenouille, New York.


Susie Hoimes
Susie Hoimes, co-founder of BuDhaGirl, brings her travels and knowledge of vintage jewelry together with her partner, Jessica Jesse to create their first outstanding collection.

Hoimes, who lives in Marin County, north of San Francisco, is also an expert in 18th-century objets d’art, textiles, and vintage and Georgian jewelry. This expertise and soulful passion led her to open her own business in 1990 creating MDVII Antiques. VOGUE recognized it as having one of the most outstanding retail vintage jewelry collections.

Susie’s international exposure began as a young child where she lived between Africa and London with her family. Her father a renowned doctor in London loved sharing his passion for travel and the arts with Susie exposing her to tribal rugs, antique textiles, silver and exotic foods. Her mother, born in Africa, danced with Margot Fonteyn on the London stage where Susie saw first hand the exquisite costumes elaborately styled for the theater. This colorful childhood cemented two worlds for her giving a depth of cultures, a love of style with breathless sensitivity. 

Jessica Jesse
Jessica Jesse, co-founder of BuDhaGirl, has deep roots in fashion and design as well as a vivid international background. Jessica began her career as a model for Hubert de Givenchy and later worked directly with fashion icons including Gianni Versace, Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino, Bill Blass and retail giants, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue.

Jessica’s childhood was spent between Mexico, the United States and Europe. She speaks French, Spanish, and Italian thanks to her father, Count Charles William Bowers von Hohenberg of Austria and her mother, Sra. Dona Marina Hernandez Ramirez of Guadalajara, Mexico. Her schooling was varied due to the family’s travel schedule but Jessica received a degree in Business and Fashion Merchandising from The Arts Institute and an honorary graphic arts degree from The University of Las Americas in Pueblo, Mexico.

Jessica devotes her time for philanthropic organizations dear to her heart which include The Susan G. Komen Foundation, The American Foundation for the Blind in Dallas and The Dallas Opera. She is on the Executive Board for the Meadows School for the Arts at Southern Methodist University and the Advisory Board for the Center for Brain Health at the University of Texas.

BuDhaGirl is their first collaborative collection.

“I’m so happy to bring together my love of style and design, passion for the cultures of the world and spirited messages of hope to all,” said Jessica. 

The foundation of the line is the Core Pendant and Cuff which include interchangeable reminders like Serenity, Focus, Good Fortune, among others, which are small, precious objects that you put in your Core to focus your attention, wrist wraps with customizable end caps, all weather golden bangles are just a few of the innovative accessories that make up this purposeful jewelry collection. 

Core Cuff – The BuDhaGirl Core Cuff is a jewelry piece based on an extraordinary 1930’s French creation. The modern version is the vehicle that will hold Reminders. Opening coffer lid reveals compartment to add BuDhaGirl Reminder daily. $395 

Wrist Wraps – These spectacular bracelets are covered with stingray shagreen, a material that’s been used for centuries to embellish everything from Japanese sword hilts to inlaid Parisian boxes. Each wrap features removable, interchangeable BuDhaGirl End Caps that serve as daily Reminders. Decadently luxurious, wrist wraps are sold in pairs. $395.

All Weather Bangles – Circles of gold dust filament suspended in flexible, polyvinyl carbonate rings, then sealed with exclusive BuDhaGirl prayer beads. The Bangles are waterproof (you can wear them in the shower), soundproof (none of that crashing and clanging), and practically weightless. $125

BuDhaBoy Pendants – Inspired by a jade Buddha carved in the modernist style. Ours are fabricated in resin to minimize weight. The BuDhaBoys come in sets of three in a choice of color ranges: Neon, Moss and Chica $135. 

Torque – Torques have been around since at least the 6th century B.C. This is a modern interpretation of what was originally made up of multiple strands or ropes. Brilliantly simple in shape, the BuDhaGirl Torque conforms to the neck. Crafted of a single piece of stainless steel that has been hand dipped in 18kt. gold.

Susie Says:

“This necklace can go directly on your skin or perhaps even over a turtleneck. Complement it witha BuDhaGirl Core Pendant with a Reminder for the day or favorite BuDhaBoy.” $75.

“I wear a necklace, cause I wanna know when I'm upside down.” – Mitch Hedberg, comedian

“Opinion is like a pendulum and obeys the same law. If it goes past the centre of gravity on one side, it must go a like distance on the other; and it is only after a certain time that it finds the true point at which it can remain at rest.” – Arthur Schopenhauer

BuDhaGirl Reminders

Also from the BuDhaGirl Museum:

Kalinger Cuff

Buddha pin in 18kt gold and green stones

YSL green 70s necklace

YSL Cross Necklace

Chanel lotus necklace

Kenneth Jay Lane cross

sitting Buddha earrings

Where to find the complete BuDhaGirl collection:

This wonderful first debut collection illustrated here is available fully online at www.budhagirl.com

Watch for exciting new retail availability soon. Susie and Jessica are working on the second BuDhaGirl collection now, so please add www.budhagirl.com to your bookmarked sites.

Let me know what you think. I love the new concept of adornment with a higher purpose.

Photo credits: 
Images courtesy of BuDhaGirl, used with permission.