Biker boys turned jewelry makers
Biker boys have a reputation of living life in the fast lane—literally. The high they don’t get in everyday, mundane life they make up for on the road, on their bikes, dressed like the stereotypical easy rider: leather jacket, tough boots, and the requisite black helmet. The association with everything rock and roll isn’t far behind, wardrobe and music-wise. More often than not, these guys prefer a raw and real environment, unfazed by the trend of going to the new It hang-out. Which is why it’s quite interesting that bike enthusiasts Dante Dizon (a creative director) and Noli Coronado (a full-time sculptor and custom bike builder) went a little bit mainstream and decided to launch a collection of rings. Their designs though, are anything but. Staying true to their biker roots is what make their rings unpretentious and authentic—definitely made to bring out the rebel in the wearer. Dante gives us the dish.
Why the name?
Lucky Monkey because we feel everything we want and need comes to us, including people we meet. So we feel extremely blessed and lucky.
What’s your line all about?
Lucky Monkey is about greasy engines, loud bikes, rock ‘n’ roll and, of course, patina.
Lucky Monkey was born out of the lack of accessories we liked. They were either too expensive or something was missing in the design. The jewelry line started two and a half years ago, a few months older than my son Damien.
I was in Tokyo and saw the whole rock and roll biker scene and was inspired. I told my best friend Noli Coronado, who is a sculptor of toys and fine art, about what I saw there.
We then started experimenting with different materials and processes.
Skull set: Anatomy of style We ride bikes a lot, we do the whole shebang: leather jackets, boots, everything utilitarian. And being bikers, we also considered the rings being light and able to slide up a glove.
How did you start?
The need for jewelry that was totally ours. DIY was the inspiration.
What materials do you use?
We use silver, brass, and onyx. Lately we’ve been playing with different stones, influenced by a designer friend.
Who is your market? Rockers, fashion folk, the regular Joe?
Skulls out for the summer: One-of-a-kind rings for bikers and bad boys, available at AC+632 in Greenbelt 5 We want everyone to feel like a rock star. We want our jewelry to be like tattoos.
When you get inked, you get the energy of the piece. You feel it and bring it with you.
We want to evoke that feeling without the pain of getting a tattoo, of course.
Who/what influences your designs?
Our lifestyle is a big influence. Riding bikes, kustom culture, music and tattoos.
Where are your items sold?
Right now we’re in ac+632 in Greenbelt 5 with a brand called Brownsmith. We also have a blog 13luckymonkey.blogspot.com where you can find most of our stuff.
Can people order custom-made?
Yes, we do bespoke a lot. We can start with a base skull then slowly add details or a purely bespoke piece from scratch. No two Lucky Monkey rings are alike.
