«Tibet shapes everything I do»

Khenzom stopped by Münstergasse on her way through Europe, before flying home to New York. A conversation about Tibet, travel and the stories jewellery holds.

Which place shaped you most – and how can one tell today?

Tibet is a place I’ve never physically been to, but one that shapes everything I do, from my professional career to my art. I think people can tell because my identity seeps into how I present myself. I’m rarely without something Tibetan on me, whether it’s a threaded bracelet, a pashmina scarf, or a turquoise ring.

Do you wear jewellery for yourself, or as something meant to be seen?

Both! My jewellery collection has grown so large over the past decade – pieces from my travels, family heirlooms, and more – that it takes up an entire section of my room. I can’t imagine not having it. I genuinely wear jewellery every single day and sometimes feel naked without it.

What makes a piece of jewellery valuable to you: the material, the origin, or the story?

For me it’s the story. A piece feels most valuable to me when it ties back to a specific memory of travel, or a person I met along the way.

If you could keep only one piece of jewellery – which one, and why?

I’ve really fallen in love with my turquoise ring from Atelier Tibet. It’s a piece I’ve been looking for for a while, but was never able to find the perfect one until now!

@khenzart wearing: earrings by CHARU, bag by Studio Losel, turquoise ring and necklace by Atelier Tibet.
Captured by @paeldenial