Where Everything is Tied Twice: Inside the World of THE KNOT
THE KNOT is a contemporary adornment studio. Its work is centered on color, texture, layering, and contrast, with jewelry made to be worn as a visible part of personal style. The knot appears throughout the collection, both as a recurring form and as the starting point for the studio’s designs.
Their journey began during a particularly knotted chapter in its founder Catalina’s life. In Catalina’s family, objects were rarely treated as disposable. They were kept for years, repaired when necessary, and passed down within the family. They accumulated stories with time. That relationship with objects continues to shape the studio and its approach to making.
Every piece begins with Catalina’s hands. Threading, tying, untying, and tying again are part of the process, allowing materials and ideas to develop through repetition and experimentation. The work is deliberately removed from the precision of mass production. Each knot is slightly different, and no two pieces are ever exactly alike.
“We tie everything twice.”
It is a simple phrase, but it says a lot about THE KNOT. The hand is never hidden from the process. Repetition and layering are central to the process, alongside the unexpected combinations that emerge while making each piece. Details are considered throughout, so every piece has its own small differences.
STRUNG is the studio’s collection of beaded adornments, all made by hand in the atelier. Each piece is threaded and knotted by hand, then finished with ethically sourced semi-precious stones. The collection also makes room for color, with pieces that are not intended to blend quietly into an outfit. As THE KNOT puts it, “Color belongs in serious wardrobes too.”
Everything is made to order. Rather than producing stock in advance, the studio begins making a piece only after someone has chosen it. This keeps production small and means that every object has a person in mind from the beginning. It also allows the making process to remain close and considered, from the selection of materials to the final knot.
THE KNOT takes the same approach to sourcing. The studio works with trusted suppliers and small independent partners committed to responsible practices, while recognizing that gemstone supply chains are complex and not always completely traceable. Instead of making broad promises, THE KNOT shares the country of origin of each stone in its product descriptions.
Production for collections like T's d'Art stays focused on low-impact methods throughout. The fabric is organic and free from harmful chemicals, backed by GOTS and OEKO-TEX standards. THE KNOT prints each design using safe water-based inks. For packaging, everything is recycled and plastic-free.
Making each piece by hand is central to THE KNOT. It is what gives the work its individual quality and keeps the process personal. No piece is identical to another, and its meaning can change as it is worn, collected, repaired, and lived with. THE KNOT is ultimately interested in making adornment that stays with you, rather than something made simply to be replaced.
Play is part of that. So is color. So is the human hand. And, of course, the knot itself.