Strung Through Time: A Conversation with Ashley Moubayed of Don’t Let Disco
At Closely Crafted, we are continually inspired by designers who demonstrate that Made in USA production is not just a label, but a philosophy grounded in craft, locality, and longevity. This season, we are proud to spotlight Don’t Let Disco, the jewelry practice of founder Ashley Moubayed, whose newest fine jewelry collection was recently presented at New York Fashion Week.
Founded in 2021, the label centers on the transformation of beads and found materials into elevated jewelry that bridges nostalgia, art history, and modern design. It is produced through a limited network of local artisans, the collection reflects an intentional return to material knowledge, small-scale making, and objects designed to endure.
Ashley’s work asks us to reconsider adornment itself. Long before industrial production, jewelry began with the hand-carved bead, shaped from bone or shell as both survival tool and sacred marker of identity. In this debut fine collection, that original gesture is not abandoned but evolved. The bead becomes the foundation of a new visual language where ancient and contemporary meaning are strung together.
“Don’t Let Disco is rooted in memory, materiality, and emotional permanence,” Ashley explains. “From the beginning, the work has centered on the bead as a core unit of meaning.”
Rather than designing for trend cycles, the brand approaches jewelry as something collected over time. Many works are produced in small runs or as one-of-a-kind pieces, allowing each object to feel specific and considered. Even as the brand expands into fine jewelry, that original ethos remains intact. “The same language continues,” she says, “translated into more heirloom-quality materials while staying true to its origins.”
How did your brand come to fruition? Can you share some insight into your journey?
Ashley’s path to jewelry was gradual but deeply informed by her time working around historic objects and works of art. “Being around collectible objects clarified something for me. I was most interested in pieces that hold history and emotional weight.”
What began as personal experimentation quickly grew into a practice centered on intimacy and permanence. Don’t Let Disco emerged from a desire to create pieces that feel lived with rather than consumed.
What is your artisan process? What makes you so good at what you do?
Ashley describes her process as collaborative, not only with artisans but with the materials themselves. “I design in collaboration with the materials, honoring their character rather than forcing uniformity.”
The new collection reflects this philosophy through historic references like the Victorian “Pool of Light” technique, featuring undrilled rock crystal orbs suspended without piercing the stone. These crystals act as lenses, gathering and softening the surrounding world rather than reflecting it directly.
Carnelian, Citrine, Unakite, and Moqui stones introduce warmth and geological depth, while sparingly placed diamonds create moments of brightness that “wake the eye.”
The pieces are crafted in 18k yellow gold with select sterling silver elements, functioning as modern talismans, built slowly and intentionally through skilled local production.
What does made to wear and
sustainability mean to you?
“
Made to wear means creating pieces that feel lived with, personal, and built to last,” Ashley says. Sustainability, for the brand, is not trend-driven messaging but a commitment to longevity and respect for materials. By working with vintage beads, found elements, and small-batch sourcing, each piece carries history forward rather than beginning anew.
How do you think fashion brands can continue to be sustainable?
Ashley emphasizes intentionality over scale. “Transparency, thoughtful sourcing, and creating work that people truly value all help reduce waste and extend an object’s life.” Her perspective aligns with a growing shift away from disposable production toward designs meant to remain relevant for generations.
How does being created locally contribute to your brand?
Local creation is central to the identity of Don’t Let Disco. “Being created locally keeps the work deeply connected to its origins and to the people and places that make it possible,” Ashley explains.
By collaborating with nearby artisans, independent dealers, and specialized craftspeople, the brand sustains a close-knit production ecosystem where knowledge, accountability, and human touch remain visible.
What’s next for Don’t Let Disco?
“We just launched fine jewelry during February’s New York Fashion Week,” Ashley shares. “This launch allows us to continue expanding the brand while staying true to the intimacy, craft, and care that define every piece.” As the work grows, so does its commitment to limited production, craft preservation, and storytelling through material.
Through Don’t Let Disco, we are reminded that sustainability is not only about what is made, but how and why it is made. These pieces are not simply jewelry. They are continuations of a lineage that began thousands of years ago, shaped by human hands, and carried forward through local craftsmanship today.