In Bali, windows into making are tangible — and everywhere: from woven leaf offerings and ancient stone carvings to the finest filigree work in metal. “Here, the practice of craft is a spiritual act, sacred even,” says Carina Hardy. She founded her namesake brand in 2024 alongside Tavish Gallagher, her partner in life and design. The brand, she notes, reflects their shared creative vision and enduring collaboration.
Drawing inspiration from “nature and the human-made world,” the founders find that Bali offers both in “an incredibly concentrated way,” shaping a design philosophy rooted in reverence, materiality and place.
Raised between Bali and New York, the daughter of jewellery designer John Hardy and Cynthia Hardy, she grew up in a world where art, adornment and discipline were inseparable.
“In a way, they feel like two very exceptional places, and they have so much more in common than you think,” Carina reflects. What links them, she says, is creative force — the drive to make ideas tangible — and kinetic energy. Both cities are “hustle-bustle hot spots of activity for people with ideas and audacity enough to make those ideas come true.”
Though she loved making jewellery as a child, she never assumed she would enter the business, particularly after her parents sold the family brand when she was 11. Yet adornment remained instinctive. “That didn’t stop my interest in using my body as a vehicle for expression — I always loved to dress up and adorn myself.”
If Bali gave her a visceral understanding of craft, academia gave her the language to interpret it. At Barnard College in New York, Carina found herself “completely stifled by academia” until she discovered art history. There, she says, she learned “a language of seeing and critique.” It reshaped how she understood creative decisions — not simply how to make something, but why it should exist and what it communicates.
That shared visual literacy became foundational when she met Gallagher. “The first week Tavish and I met, we connected through our experience of art together,” she says. Conversations spanned visits to the Met Museum and discussions about favourite works. Both were educated in Waldorf schools, “which heavily emphasise and foster artistic and creative development.” Their co-creations, Venus and Stages, mirror their love for art history and figurative storytelling.
Carina’s understanding of jewellery extends beyond aesthetics. Growing up in Bali offered “physical, embodied knowledge about how things are made.” The reverence, imbued by Bali, defines the brand’s process.
Unlike industry norms, Carina Hardy brand does not begin with sketches or CAD renderings. “We begin in wax immediately, and always in three dimensions,” she explains. Working side-by-side with their Balinese master carver, Ngurah, the trio exchange references, notes and adjustments throughout the day. Hundreds of wax forms are carved, yet “only a very small fraction — maybe one percent — will ever be cast into silver or gold.”
Designing directly in wax keeps them rooted in weight, proportion and movement. “Jewellery is three-dimensional, and so is the world we’re responding to,” she says. “We believe designing this way gives our work its sense of life. This is why our jewellery is deeply human.”
That humanity finds expression in the brand’s newest collection, Braid — a sculptural series in recycled silver exploring interwoven form as structure and symbol. The inspiration, Carina admits, is personal. “I’ve had long hair all my life, and braids are an intimate part of tending to long hair.” The idea came about during a trip to Bangkok when Gallagher wrapped her braid around his wrist. “In that moment, it just clicked — we knew we needed to make a collection inspired by the braid.”
Although early experiments in simply braiding silver “fell flat,” what fascinated the duo instead was the tension between strength and flexibility inherent in woven hair. “We didn’t want the braid pieces to feel fixed and still,” Carina adds. “We breathed life and motion into the designs by making them flexible.”
The braid is “universal — worn across cultures and centuries, by men and women alike.” Braids, she remarks, are “incredibly elegant and regal, but also deeply practical.” And it is this duality that informs their collection. Each piece in the Braid line reveals shifting dimensions from every angle: chains with braided links, supple cuffs and hoops, a rolling ring, and a “Ponytail” brooch — bringing movement and tactility to the fore. Spanning categories and priced from $150 to $1,200, the pieces nod to architectural sensibilities.
Despite their symbolism, wearability remains non-negotiable for the designers. “Jewellery becomes meaningful when it’s worn — when it’s lived in,” she says. Every piece is tested personally. Material choice reinforces the philosophy. Working exclusively with recycled metals according to Carina is “a no-brainer.” Luxury must evolve, notes the designer, whose brand employs only certified recycled gold and silver for its creations, including fine jewellery made in 18k gold. “Something truly luxurious can’t feel guilt-ridden — it has to feel good from the ground to the neck or wrist,” Carina stresses.
Sustainability is not an afterthought at Carina Hardy brand. It is embedded in their studio, materials, packaging and long-term vision. “Jewellery, after all, is meant to last generations,” remarks Carina. And we agree.