Khai Khai's Haim Medine Counts His Mother, Sister as Muses

Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.

Khai Khai, Haim Medine's jewelry line, was named after the designer's childhood moniker. Given that Medine grew up immersed in the fine jewelry business, throwing it back to his kiddie days seems appropriate. "It fit perfectly into my brand strategy because when you're a child, you can let your imagination run wild and come up with crazy concepts" he says. "And that's what I do with my jewelry."

Khai Khai is notable for its winking combination of high-end materials and luxe craftsmanship (Medine works almost exclusively in gold and diamonds) with playful, 21st-century references. An 18k ring, for example, features an "@" symbol embellished with diamonds while a similarly encrusted exclamation point hangs off a necklace. He counts his mother and his sister Leandra—who runs a little blog called The Man Repeller, perhaps you've heard of it?—among his style influences, stating that he designs with them in mind. Above, he talks family, business and how he knows a piece will be successful.
· Khai Khai Jewelry [Official Site]
· Gigi Burris' Hats Went From College Thesis to Rihanna, Gaga [Racked]
· Howes & Baum's Long Johns Can Be Worn On and Off the Farm [Racked]
· Grey City's Vikki Andrews Testifies for Seattle's Fashion Scene [Racked]
· Meet the 50 Racked Young Guns Semi-Finalists for 2013 [Racked]