Simone I. Smith · Articles

Jewelry Built Around a Genuine Friendship, Not Just a Brand Partnership

Jewelry Built Around a Genuine Friendship, Not Just a Brand Partnership

Many celebrity jewelry collaborations feel like purely transactional licensing deals. The Simone I. Smith x Rapsody collection is built on something considerably more personal — a genuine friendship between two women, translated directly into a design concept tied to a specific album.

Inspired by a genuine album concept

The collection draws its inspiration directly from Grammy-winning rapper Rapsody's studio album, God Gotta Afro & Gold Hoops — meaning the jewelry isn't a generic add-on merchandise line, but a considered physical extension of the album's actual themes and artistic concept.

The Raveen Hoops as the collection's signature design

The Raveen Hoops specifically take their name and visual inspiration from the Afro pick — referencing the Black-owned haircare brand Raveen, which celebrated natural hair during the 1960s and 1970s, giving the design genuine cultural and historical grounding rather than an arbitrary decorative motif.

A design built around celebrating Black beauty and sisterhood

Beyond the Afro pick reference, the hoops incorporate a woman's silhouette as a symbolic design element — together, the pieces are specifically intended to celebrate Black beauty, culture, and sisterhood rather than functioning as purely decorative jewelry.

18K yellow gold plating for genuine quality finish

The hoops are crafted with 18K yellow gold plating — a material choice that delivers a genuinely rich, warm finish consistent with Simone I. Smith's broader jewelry collections.

Available across multiple sizes for personal preference

The Raveen Hoops come in Large and Extra Large sizing — letting buyers choose a scale that matches their personal styling preference, from a statement-making larger hoop to a slightly more measured large option.

Designed by an entrepreneur with a genuinely personal founding story

Simone I. Smith co-founded her namesake jewelry brand in 2011, reportedly following her own diagnosis with a rare form of bone cancer — a founding story that adds genuine personal depth to her broader body of work as a jewelry designer and entrepreneur.

Part of a track record of meaningful celebrity collaborations

This collection continues Smith's established pattern of partnering with notable figures on jewelry lines carrying genuine cultural significance — reflecting an ongoing creative practice rather than a one-off collaboration.

At a glance

Who it suits

This collection suits anyone wanting jewelry with genuine cultural meaning and a real creative story behind it, particularly fans of Rapsody's music or Simone I. Smith's broader design work. Anyone wanting to explore the collection's full range beyond the Raveen style should check the complete Rapsody collection, which also includes the Coil Hoops and Heritage Hoops, each drawing on different cultural references within the same collaborative concept. Shop the Simone I. Smith x Rapsody Collection — **

Related brands