Kevin A. Roberts
Years ago, while studying fashion design and marketing in L.A., Erica Dunk spent her downtime on Rodeo Drive. She soon realized there’s a market for high-end jewelry—without the exorbitant price tags. So back in her hometown of St. Louis, she took classes at Craft Alliance, learning about soldering and casting. She began crafting jewelry for herself, and others started asking about it. Eventually, in 2010, she founded Hyper Haute (hyperhaute.com), now available locally at Byrd Designer Consignment Boutique, Rung, and Honey’s Child Boutique.
Dunk’s line uses fully functional chain locks, creating a high-end industrial look. Still, her jewelry manages to remain feminine, sometimes incorporating pearls reminiscent of Coco Chanel. Trendsetters have taken notice, with the likes of singer Kesha flaunting the look.
In May, Dunk’s work appeared in the Apocalyptic Wonderland Fête event at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis. The work shown incorporated skinny door handles, painted white and distressed. “They kind of look like bones,” she says. “I’ve not done a lot of white before, and it feels like the ashes and dust, but it also feels really fresh.” The sentiment is in line with the striking pieces that have come to epitomize Dunk’s style.
How did you develop your signature piece, the chain-lock necklace? I was doing a photo shoot for Paul Mitchell that had a “go green” theme, and I found an old chain lock around the house. I thought “Oh, that would be cool!” And that’s how it all started.
Where do you get the locks and chains for your jewelry? I find a lot online, and I break apart old necklaces and jewelry to repurpose them. I like to mix and match to keep an eclectic feel.
What’s the inspiration behind your designs? Sometimes, I find a really cool brooch and I want to do something specific with it, and I have something at home that works with it that can create a new vision. Or I may be working on a specific show, which has a theme behind it that can shape a new direction. Or I may just suddenly have an idea that inspires me, and I’ll do a whole bunch of pieces around that.
What type of women are drawn to wear your jewelry? Fashion-forward, confident women. When you wear one of my pieces—particularly some of the bigger ones—you’re bound to draw a lot of attention. They’re not for the faint of heart.
