Coki Reardon: Creating a Parisian Experience in the KC Arts District

Coki Reardon: Creating a Parisian Experience in the KC Arts District

Coki Reardon’s dream is to bring just a touch of Paris, the city of lights, to her home town of Kansas City. While she can’t transport the Eiffel Tower, the Avenue des Champs-Élysées or the Louvre to our Midwestern metropolis, she can bring a style and a look that are truly Parisian, for men and women across the area.

Coki is the owner, designer and creator of Coki Bijoux Fine Jewelry, a French-inspired boutique specializing in handmade custom and ready-to-wear pieces. Coki Bijoux (bijoux means jewelry in French) is located at 115 West 18th Street in Kansas City, Missouri. The entrance hints of Paris as you arrive at her quaint studio and shop off the West Alley of the Bauer Building in the Crossroads Art District. The environment reflects the Parisian commercial alley districts that she knew so well when she was a jewelry and metal smith apprentice.

“I want to bring a bit of the Parisian feel to my jewelry creations to offer people pieces that are unique, with a flair for the French experiences I’ve had,” noted Coki. “I wanted to share with Kansas City what I learned about French culture while I was in Paris. All of my jewelry is handmade; it gives people their own look and not something that’s been mass produced. They’re quality products, produced with excellent materials, but yet are affordable.”

Steeped in Parisian Precision

Coki can trace her love of creating things to the influence of her mother as they crafted together. Her imaginative flair inspired Coki to travel on her own artistic journey that eventually led to her vocation. “After graduating KU with a liberal arts degree, I visited Paris and fell in love with the city and the culture. When I returned home, I met a French woman in KC whose brother was looking for an American English-speaking nanny. I applied for the job and got it,” she recalled. “The family introduced me to the jeweler I apprenticed with, Thierry de Bourqueney.”

During her nanny job in 1990, Coki began her formal study of jewelry making in Paris under the independent bijoutier. He skillfully guided her as she studied the art and tradition of wax modeling and lost wax casting, the process from which metal is cast. Under his tutelage, she learned the steps to create one-of-a-kind rings. His shop was located near the Paris Opera and Rue de la Paix. Nearby stores such as Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Boucheron and others deeply influenced the work that Coki would soon produce.

An Exacting Craft

“My time with de Bourqueney taught me the necessity of measurement and precision in jewelry making and developed my foundation for creativity in design. The process of taking a ring through the stages of wax modeling to casting to finished product became the foundation of my appreciation for this art form,” she revealed. “For me, forming pieces by hand preserves the tradition of this work by allowing human imperfections that attract the heart and kindle a desire for the object to be worn.”

After ten years in France, she came home to Kansas City and began crafting items that merged her time in Europe with her own style. “I never stopped making jewelry, but I put having my own store on hold as I raised my two small children. But in 2005, I rented space in the Arts Incubator in KC, now known as the Bauer Building, which offered creative space for aspiring artists and their businesses. I really appreciate the owners keeping it as an affordable space for artists.”

Over the years, Coki’s work has evolved from the strictly “bijoutier” style to include more organic, earthy elements that reflect her love of forms and objects found in nature. With time, her collection expanded to encompass work with stones, wire and metal and beading. “In all my work, I try to create something that is unique and original to the person wearing it,” she remarked.

Individual and Personal

Coki describes her style as a sophisticated bohemian look as she mixes precious metals with simple designs to create pieces suitable for everyday wear. From rings sporting precious stones, statement necklaces lovingly carved into broad strokes of metal, dazzling charms and impossible-to-resist earrings to dainty razor-thin bangles, Coki’s immersion in and love for her Parisian culture sparkles in every piece. She works in many different media to create her magnificent delights.

“My bronze collection is dear to my heart because I wear it every day. I work in 18-karat gold, gemstones, natural stones, rose gold and sterling silver,” she commented. “It doesn’t have to be precious materials to be beautiful and affordable. I love natural raw stones that I’ll have out soon. I’ll be using abalone shell–blush and taupe colored–a really fabulous scheme for the summer. In August, I’ll do some turquoise.

“I allow the materials to tell me how to use them. Many times I roll out collections from what I see at the gemstone show. I’m inspired by the medium to create something. All of my collections remind me of being in Paris.” In fact, she has incorporated the bee, a symbol of the Napoleonic era of France, as her own logo for Coki Bijoux. Coki has fashioned her bee collection with the winged creature featured in dainty necklaces in a variety of metals that are 3-D printed.

Working Partnership Focused on the Customer

While she is the heart and soul of Coki Bijoux, her business partner, Karen Burton, manages the everyday details that must be attended to in running a successful operation. “I could not have opened the shop without her,” Coki shared of her friend from college. “She handles the financials and operations and keeps the shop running.”

When you visit the boutique, Coki and Karen will guide you through the selection process. With so many wonderful pieces dangling from displays or dazzling in cases, choosing a piece can be somewhat daunting, but the pair can effectively guide you to the right one. “When a customer arrives, we’ll ask what you’re looking for and what look you like. We’ll ask about the metals you wear and the affinity you have for them. What size would you like to see and would you consider mixing metal?” she noted. “Then we’ll direct them to the jewelry that we believe will meet their needs. As they select the pieces, we’ll give them feedback on how it looks on them. We might guide the women to areas they hadn’t considered. The way I look at it, jewelry is a kind of love affair.”

And what better place to find love than in a shop inspired by a city known for love? If the offering that Coki has on display is not quite what you’re looking for, she can apply her Parisian skill set to create a striking, unforgettable masterpiece for you. The vast majority of these specialty pieces are wedding rings, one-of-a-kind designs signifying a one-of-a-kind love.

Creativity in KC

Coki says she’s fortunate to have her space in the Bauer Building. There are several boutiques in the area that offer a creative outlet for artists and the shops that present their merchandise. Locally owned eateries, stores and salons are located here and have a strong affinity for one another. “The Kansas City arts community is so supportive and we help one another,” Coki shared. “The owners are open and warm, and the area is a hub of success and collaboration.”

She might partner with another shop owner for a special sales occurrence to draw customers. Each month Coki Bijoux features an event in which she might unveil a new collection and partner it with a fun French cider tasting or other happenings flavored with French culture. All are designed so that people can come and enjoy a touch of Paris in Kansas City. Her shop is open Thursday through Saturday from noon to seven in the evening. Appointments can also be made or you can purchase from her website at any time.

Because her shop has become so closely identified with her, customers mistakenly refer to her as Coki Bijoux rather than Coki Reardon. But when you experience firsthand the beauty and craftsmanship of her gorgeous jewelry, you’ll understand how easily that slip can be made. Her experiences of living in Paris for nearly a decade and the skill set that she gained from a master are reflected in each and every piece.

While you probably won’t magically begin speaking French while donning her jewelry, the words “Merci, Coki Bijoux” may cross your lips. HLM

Visit Coki’s shop at 115 West 18th Street, in Kansas City, Missouri, or the website at cokibijoux.com.