Designer Q+A: Renna

Renna Brown-Taher has a gift for turning found things into forever things. What started with two tiny shells discovered on a California beach with her mom has become RENNA, a fine jewelry line that feels like it's meant to be layered, collected, and lasting; fine jewelry meant to be worn, not stored away!

To welcome the line to the Sunroom jewelry family, we sat down with Renna to chat about her Pacific Palisades roots, creative rituals, and the art of collecting.

We love the story of how it all started: collecting shells with your mom at Salt Creek Beach. Do you still find yourself collecting things from nature like shells, stones, or sea glass? How do those discoveries evolve into actual pieces?
Collecting—even found objects without inherent value—is a core aspect of my design process. Something may sit on my desk for months or even years before it evolves into a collection, but the act of collecting gets my brain contemplating what's next.

You trained as a gemologist and studied art at Sotheby’s; that’s such an interesting mix of precision and instinct. How do you move between the technical side of stones and the more emotional part of design?
My jewelry expertise is centered around the historical knowledge of a jewel. In my previous career, I researched provenance and evaluated gemstones. I am self-taught in terms of learning the actual process of designing and physically making jewelry, and am lucky to have an incredible team that takes my sketches and makes them a reality.

How do you think growing up in the Pacific Palisades influenced your sense of beauty and form? In what ways does the spirit of California still work itself into your creative process and aesthetic?
My childhood in Pacific Palisades is an essential part of the DNA of RENNA.

I design jewelry for myself, which luckily translates into jewelry that cool expressive women want to wear. I've never wanted to wear the same thing as everyone else and I feel silly when I'm too dressed up... it's not authentic to me.

RENNA is meant to be an expression of fine jewelry that's not fussy and has a special collected quality.

Your pieces feel both wearable and heirloom-worthy. What makes something feel timeless to you?
I think timelessness is tied to memories. Without meaning, something will just sit in your jewelry box. You will always reach for the piece that strikes joy in your heart.

In three words, how would you describe the energy of Renna (or, the way you hope someone feels when they put on a piece)?
Whimsical, quirky, empowering.