Making Women Feel Beautiful
April Martin is inspired by…. everything. After a career in both tech and retail merchandising for Ralph Lauren, the proprietor of April Martin Designs and Earthyluxe jewelry found her true calling in designing styles that make women feel great. Her necklaces, earrings, and bracelets are meant to be worn with anything from yoga pants and flip flops, to cocktail attire. Items from her line (from tiny earrings to massive pendants) can be found at boutiques and wine tasting room gift shops throughout the Valley, as well as on the necks, ears, and arms of many Napa residents. “April’s designs are distinctive,” said fan Chloe Tyler, membership director at Heitz Cellar. “I can spot a pair of her earrings on another woman across the room.”
After 18 years in Aptos, Martin recently moved to the area that has long carried her designs – bold, functional, and affordable pieces. ‘“There’s a sense of connectedness and com- munity here in the Napa Valley,” said the new Brown’s Valley resident who has amassed a cult-like following throughout Northern California. She favors natural and organic materials, such as Tahitian pearls and hammered metals. Her suppliers include small family businesses with whom she has developed close relationships. Those with whom she partners for retail sales receive not just her jewelry, but her stylist and publicist efforts as well.
“I’m a cross-pollinator,” said Martin, who gladly arranges and styles her displays such as those at Odette, Plumpjack, Cade, Patz & Hall, Fleury Estate Winery, and Spa Villagio. A new collaboration with Be Bubbly Napa Valley features Martin’s exclusive designs for the new champagne and sparkling wine lounge.
“I love watching a woman try-on the perfect piece and how it can transform her. I love it when women feel good.”
“I’ll never forget the first time I met April,” said friend and client Tami Lotz, winemaker at Mumm Napa. “I was wearing my favorite cowboy boots, and she took one look and said, ‘you need this,’ handing me a necklace with gray pearls and chocolate brown suede tassels. It immediately made my outfit better and made me feel more beautiful.”
“I have been wearing April Martin Designs for over a decade,” said Tyler. “April’s pieces are the perfect mix of organic cool and refined luxury. Every time I have a big meeting, a family event, or just a night out with friends, I always reach for my AMD. I know that April’s pieces are made with such incredible love and positive energy that it radiates onto the wearer.”
“I love to make women happy,” said Martin, a graduate of UC Davis. “I know I’m not curing cancer, but one necklace can change your whole outlook. I love watching a woman try-on the perfect piece and how it can transform her. I love it when women feel good. If a woman can put on a piece of jewelry and dash out of her house feeling pretty and confident, then I’ve done my job.”