MAROdesignsUSA is the brainchild/partnership of Nairobi-based jewelry designer Marie-Rose Iberl and U.S.-based fiber artist Roberta Elliott. In April 2015, they partnered to open this shop to give you the opportunity to become a fashion standout and trendsetter with their jewelry and scarves!

ABOUT THE JEWELRY
Bone and horn were once basic materials for adornment in African tradition. Marie-Rose, with her workers, re-invented this ancient art into manufacturing jewelry items that naturally make a statement. She and her workshop colleagues design and produce all cow-horn and cow-bone pieces for necklaces, earrings and bracelets in the MARO workshop in Nairobi. The studio uses recycled materials whose primary use went for other purposes. For instance, all the aluminum beads are hand-worked in the shop from recycled car parts.

All MARO designs by Marie-Rose have a clean and graphic look, bringing out the beauty of the natural materials and perfect workmanship. Off-center designs and playful touches complete collections for smart daytime wear, as well as outstanding artwork for evening dresses.

MARO employs primarily single mothers. The employees are fairly paid and the company provides food during work hours. With their salaries, the mothers are able to feed their families and send their children to school.

ABOUT THE SCARVES
Roberta Elliott is Marie-Rose's US partner. A fiber enthusiast, she designs and weaves scarves of different shapes, sizes and colors to perfectly coordinate with Marie-Rose's jewelry. Roberta always uses natural fibers, like silk, cotton and wool, except when the look requires a shine or iridescence that only synthetic fibers can provide. She works on a small, rigid-heddle loom, generally in front of the television set during the evening to unwind from her jam-packed days! If you see a piece of jewelry in the shop that is missing a coordinated scarf, or if you'd like to have her custom design a scarf, please do not hesitate to contact her. Also, she's always looking for suggestions for better TV shows than the ones she's watching!