Most anniversary collections are, understandably, about looking back. Many designers revisit the iconic designs that brought them to where they are today, while others take lessons from their time in business. Kinn Studio’s ninth-anniversary collection, Dare to Dream, is more about looking forward.

Founder and CEO Jennie Yoon began Kinn Studio as an online business in 2017,  and has since expanded into physical stores in Los Angeles and New York, with Newport Beach next. “Nine years ago, I had a dream of building something that would last,” Yoon says.

 

“What I didn’t realize then is that entrepreneurship is really a personal journey disguised as a business endeavor.” This year, she says, has felt like one of those rare moments when “the business you once dreamed about is finally starting to meet the person you’ve become.”

“And the beautiful thing is, the dreams keep getting bigger,” she says. “Nine years in, we’re still becoming. I hope we always will be.”

That idea of becoming runs throughout the collection of 14k gold pendants and signet rings. Its visual language, which centers on four symbols—the butterfly, swan, Pegasus, and crescent moon—comes from somewhere seemingly more playful: Yoon’s children. “One of the best parts of being a mom is getting to see the world again through your children’s eyes,” she shares. “You get to revisit that sense of wonder and imagination.”

Butterflies, swans, Pegasus, and the crescent moon are all figures that appear in stories and illustrations Yoon has shared with her children. Bringing them into fine jewelry allowed her to preserve some of that childhood magic while layering in meanings that feel considerably more adult. The butterfly stands for transformation; the swan, for self-trust; Pegasus for the freedom to dream; and a crescent moon for intuition and curiosity.

If Yoon had to choose one, it would be the swan. “It’s a beautiful reminder to trust your own path, wherever it takes you,” she says.

That particular lesson has been hard-earned. Yoon didn’t come from the jewelry industry, and the early years of building Kinn involved plenty of time wondering whether there was a “right” way to do things. “I spent a lot of time learning the business, but eventually realized that having an outsider’s perspective was one of my greatest advantages,” she says. “It’s probably why the swan is my favorite.”

The meaning of freedom, represented by Pegasus, has evolved for her, too. “I used to think it meant saying yes to every opportunity,” Yoon says. “Nine years in, I’ve learned that real freedom comes from knowing when to say no and protecting the space to build what you truly believe in.”

So, yes, Dare to Dream has become somewhat autobiographical, even if Yoon didn’t intend it that way. But, she emphasizes, the symbolism isn’t meant to dictate how anyone else interprets the jewelry. “I think the best jewelry leaves room for personal interpretation. We wanted each illustration to be beautiful enough that someone would be drawn to it before knowing what it symbolizes.”

A customer might choose the butterfly because it recalls childhood; another might see in it a reminder of starting over. Yoon can provide the story, but she believes the wearer ultimately gets to decide what a piece means. “And I think that’s what makes symbolic jewelry so special,” she adds. “Its meaning can grow and change with you.”

So far, though, one symbol has struck a particularly strong chord with customers: the butterfly. Yoon expected it to be popular but says she underestimated how many customers would gravitate toward it. She suspects its message—transformation—is one that nearly everyone recognizes.

“When you’re going through a difficult chapter, it’s easy to get caught up in what’s going wrong and forget that this moment is only one part of a much bigger story,” she says. “Often, the challenges we’re facing are the very things helping us grow into who we’re meant to become.”

And perhaps that’s what makes Dare to Dream feel less like an anniversary collection and more like a marker placed along the road. Jewelry is very good at commemorating what has already happened: the birthday, the wedding, the promotion, the anniversary. Yoon likes the idea of using it to celebrate something that hasn’t happened yet. “A dream you’re finally ready to pursue, a new chapter you’re about to begin, or simply the person you’re becoming,” Yoon says.

“I hope that years from now, when someone looks at their piece, they’ll remember what they dared to believe was possible. And maybe even how far that belief took them.”

Top: Signet ring in 14k yellow gold, $1,960; Kinn Studio

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