Creole Amour

October 14, 2020 Leah Freeman-Haskin

laser cut to perfection

Photo: Creole Amour

With early aspirations of being a news anchor, Kiki Love Carter felt exhausted and overworked at the local news station. She decided to step away from this path to pursue her entrepreneurial dreams. After six months, she launched Creole Amour, a line of handmade jewelry that eventually grew to include home goods. She taught herself the trades of laser cutting and metalsmithing, while also educating herself on business and branding to round out her skillset.

I connected with Carter to learn more about her growing brand and the inspiration behind her designs.

Photo: Designer & Maker Kiki Love Carter

What sets Creole Amour apart from other jewelry and lifestyle brands?

“Firstly, that it’s handmade and of the best quality. All jewelry is made using 14k gold filled jewelry, which is non-tarnishing and hypoallergenic, and can last a lifetime if properly cared for. But, besides Creole Amour’s products being laser cut, which isn’t very common, the biggest factor that sets Creole Amour apart is that all of the products are my original designs and my experiences are what inspire the designs. No one can duplicate that.

I also donate 10% of Creole Amour’s profit to nonprofit organizations that have a positive impact on the community through youth after school and outreach programs, diaper banks, homeless shelters and more.”

Photo: Creole Amour

Where do you draw your inspiration?

“My greatest comes from travel experiences and the city of New Orleans. I’ve been so blessed to live in eight different countries (while visiting more), and the experiences have been so culturally rich and humbling that it became natural to take bits and pieces of the experiences and incorporate them in my designs. I specifically love when I come across cathedrals, and was inspired to create the Cathedral Earrings that are inspired by the window arches in a cathedral that I once came across. It’s always my take on an experience that I carry over to my designs.”

What are your most popular designs?

“Right now, the best selling products are definitely the jewelry organizers. The Earring Organizer that can be personalized with a name is really popular, and earrings are always one of the most popular jewelry pieces, with the Ear Cuff selling the most lately.”

Photo: Creole Amour

What does the future look like for Creole Amour?

“A couple things to expect from Creole Amour in the coming months are bridal earrings, with a Creole Amour flare of course, more kid decor because little people need to be inspired by their space as much as adults do, and holiday ornaments and decor. There is still a lot more to come after that.”