Brendon-James Maier (pictured) has a mission with his Los Angeles–based jewelry brand, Atelier Former Child: He wants clients to relive the freedom and wonder of their younger days through fine jewelry.

“Have fun and be yourself. Mix metals. Wear bold colors. Break the so-called rules. Fine jewelry doesn’t have to mean serious or predictable,” Maier says. “We’re lucky enough to live on a planet full of incredible stones and metals—why not enjoy all of it?”

Fine jewelry is an investment in your own enjoyment and creativity, according to Maier. And that goes for everyone, including men, he adds.

“Former Child is about self-expression, nostalgia, and joy. The name itself is a reminder to hold on to that sense of wonder and imagination many had as kids,” says Maier. “Everything I design is meant to bring a little levity into fine jewelry and to help people tell their own story.”

In following a path to jewelry, Maier has honored where he came from yet focused on what makes him happy. He grew up in Manhattan Beach, Calif., in Los Angeles County, with his mom, dad, and an older sister. His two jewelry role models? His grandmother and Grammy-winning musician (and design legend) Pharrell Williams.

“First is my grandmother’s engagement ring—three large, round brilliant diamonds I couldn’t stop staring at or asking questions about,” Maier says. “The second comes from my lifelong love of hip-hop—the colorful, oversized jewelry worn by rappers during the Pharrell and Jacob & Co. 2000s era. Both of those impressions—the timeless elegance and bold creativity—definitely stick with me to this day.”

Maier originally thought he would follow in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps and work in advertising. He majored in advertising at the University of Oregon, and his first job during college was at a local advertising agency.

“While I ultimately charted my own path, that foundation in brand building and communication has been valuable,” Maier says. “It taught me how to think about storytelling and brand identity—lessons that still shape how I approach my own brand today.”

Maier graduated from college in 2018 and founded Former Child in 2019, initially focusing on U.S.-made clothing and leather goods. In 2020, he designed his first jewelry piece for the brand and realized that was where his imagination flourished.

“In a way, ending up in jewelry was a happy accident that feels like fate,” says Maier. “It started while I was sketching bag designs on graph paper. I began doodling and coloring in the squares to make a checkerboard pattern, and that’s when it hit me: That could be a cool ring using vitreous enamel, a material I’d come across while geeking out over jewelry and watches.”

Maier asked a jeweler friend to help him make a sample. He then posted a photo of the piece on Instagram, and a couple of people reached out to Maier to have a ring made for them. And just like that, he was designing jewelry.

“What you start out doing may not be your final destination. But everything you learn along the way still counts,” he says.

(Photos courtesy of Atelier Former Child)

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