How it all started

Dolores Fisher, mother of designer Karla Plaut, owns and operates the Old California Store in Ventura, CA since 1979. The family business primarily operates in the Antiques business and Dolores is also a personal designer. Dolores is known for her sense of style and grew a fondness for wearing Bakelite jewelry. She has a personal friend who specializes in Bakelite and helps her curate and price these rare items.

Karla has always loved jewelry and drawn to rare and unique pieces. When she started to share her mothers passion for Bakelite she found that what was available to purchase was extremely limited. What started as a personal passion to create one of a kind pieces for herself turned into a business among the locals in Southern California.

Karla creates by redesigning vintage Bakelite, semi-precious stones, fine materials, and existing jewelry. Sometimes she combines materials and sometimes she deconstructs and reconstructs the materials into a rare one of a kind piece.

Philosophy

I find mixing different materials and style of jewelry compliment and enhance the quality and look of the vintage Bakelite. The goal is to take vintage original pieces and bring them into this generation by creating wearable necklaces and jewelry.