Ashley Kolt Designs

About AKD

Designer Ashley Kolt’s collection reflects the true eclectic spirit she cultivated as a child playing with her mother’s clothing and collectibles. At the age of three, Ashley drew her first couture look when she sketched over a stick figure that her mother had drawn. Endlessly supported and encouraged by her loving family, Ashley explored her interests in art and design by experimenting with sculpture, pottery and painting, but she found her passion was jewelry and apparel design.

Ashley’s jewelry designs draw inspiration from weaving. “Weaving is painting with fabrics. It takes so much skill to create an amazing piece with just one material.” This concept is pervasive in her jewelry designs. She takes pieces from a common era and “weaves” them together until they become art.

She earned her degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her Masters from the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan. Her background also includes designing, beading and embellishing one-of-a-kind handbags for designers such as, Anthony Luciano and Fernanda Niven. Rounding out her experience in the fashion industry, Ashley has also worked for the RJM Group, where she excelled at merchandising and accessorizing the showroom for appointments with major department stores from around the world. Ashley still lends her talents to well known designer labels like Anthropologie. Her multitude of work experiences left her inspired to pursue a larger dream: Ashley Kolt Designs.