ABOUT

La Loba Jewelry is rooted in the instinct to create, to transform raw, forgotten, and meaningful materials into objects meant to be worn and carried through life.

The name La Loba, Spanish for “the she-wolf,” is inspired by Clarissa Pinkola Estés’ Women Who Run With the Wolves and the idea of reconnecting with our instinctual, creative selves. It represents intuition, resilience, transformation, and the freedom to follow your own path.

Inspired by nature, history, and the imperfect beauty of things made by hand, La Loba creates jewelry with soul and pieces that feel personal, expressive, and distinctly human.

Made. Remade. Found.

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THE MAKER

I’m Kate Bordine, an artist, designer, and self-taught metalsmith working in Detroit.

My appreciation for handmade objects began early. My father has spent more than fifty years creating stained glass, and my grandmother returned from her travels with small treasures from around the world. These objects fascinated me; not because of their value, but because they carried evidence of another place, another person, another story.

That curiosity eventually led me to earn a BFA in Painting and an MFA in Design Management, build creative ventures in Detroit, become a mother, and ultimately find my way back to making with my hands.

La Loba emerged more deeply during a season of profound personal loss. Creating jewelry became a way to slow down, work through grief, and reconnect with something tangible. At the bench, there was metal, fire, repetition, problem-solving, and the simple act of being present.

Today, that same instinct continues to guide my work: make something meaningful with what is in front of you.

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THE PROCESS

Every original La Loba piece is fabricated by hand using traditional metalsmithing techniques including soldering, forging, carving, stone setting, lost-wax casting, and sand casting.

I’m drawn to the subtle irregularities that reveal how something was made: a casting texture, hammer mark, organic edge, or slight variation from one piece to another.

These aren't imperfections to hide. They are evidence of the human hand.

The same philosophy carries into REMADE and FOUND: old jewelry can be restored, forgotten materials can take on new forms, and beautifully crafted objects from the past deserve to continue their stories.

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THE MATERIALS

Materials are chosen with intention.

La Loba works primarily with recycled sterling silver, pre-loved gold, vintage jewelry and components, and thoughtfully sourced gemstones including turquoise, opal, mother of pearl, abalone, onyx, moonstone, and freshwater pearls.

Whenever possible, I begin with what already exists reclaiming metal, restoring vintage jewelry, or transforming forgotten pieces rather than always reaching for something new.

The result is jewelry that carries traces of its materials, its maker, and sometimes a life that came before.

Made slowly. Found thoughtfully. Worn often.

Hand fabricated in Detroit, Michigan.