My Story
Bijou Indochine [Bee-Zhoo In-Doe-Sheen] was created by Natalie Vo Karlin to combine her unique design sensibility with the power of authentic gemstones. Inspired by her Vietnamese, Buddhist traditions, Natalie’s pieces embody a Zen simplicity with a modern twist. You can find traditional Jade Buddha pieces along with sterling silver skulls and snake rings within her line and they all represent who she is. Natalie creates her jewelry line using gemstones and unique pendants from different parts of the world and curates her shop on Montana Ave. with unique gifts and vintage pieces from Bhutan, Nepal, India, Tibet, Vietnam, China, Japan and Peru.
"Bijou Indochine was created when I wanted to make jewelry that represented my Buddhist background and my love for authentic gemstones for myself. My pieces were being picked up for shows and sold well at pop ups and markets. When I started my jewelry journey back in 2016, I never thought that my "passion project" would turn into a career that helped me survive the pandemic as a single Mom. I started out making my jewelry in a tiny room at home and eventually worked out of a small studio in my converted garage."
"I continued to sell my jewelry at pop ups, retail partners and shows until my friends and I opened up a Pop Up Shop on my dream retail street in Santa Monica. We each had our own brands represented in a 250 sqf storefront in 2022 and it was incredible supporting and encouraging each other. What I thought would be a 3 month pop up residency turned into a year long run. I now have a permanent store location and I can't even begin to express how grateful I am to do something that I love so much, surrounded by such a supportive community on Montana Ave."
