Instead of following trends, Harmon is inspired by the beauty around her, which makes her designs undoubtedly unique. She considers herself an artist, not a designer. “I’m an out-of-the-box thinker, always have been,” says Harmon. “I’ve never worn anything because it’s fashionable or worn by masses,” she adds. “I’ve never owned skinny jeans.”

“Once I sold a favourite necklace, one I’d worn for two years, right off my neck,” she recalls, “and I’ve sold unexpectedly before. Another time, at the Four Seasons Hotel, a woman bought a charm necklace I was wearing,” she says, but admits “trying to redo pieces doesn’t work; it’s never quite the same.” Harmon’s personality shows in her work and she only makes and sells what she likes. “I think I’m my own muse,” she reveals. “If I wouldn’t wear it, I can’t make it.”

Harmon doesn’t believe her ethnicity is represented in her work. “I don’t think of myself as a Black jewellry designer.  I think of myself as a designer, but people do characterize and label you,” she says. “You’d never read ‘Mark Jacobs the white clothing designer’,  but whenever it’s a Black person it’s mentioned,” she explains. “I know I’m Black. It’s not a conscious thing. I’m just a person.”

She doesn’t recall experiencing racism throughout her career. “Because I look a certain way, because I’m, quote-unquote ‘attractive’, people have always been nice to me,“ she says, “but I know racism exists, I just haven’t encountered it personally.”

Harmon recounts her parents having difficulties renting an apartment because of race. “There would be a vacancy sign, but when the superintendent opened the door and saw Black faces, they’d be told there were no vacancies,” she tells us. Also her father was refused a promotion due to his skin colour.

She also shares her outlook on racism in the fashion industry, specifically how often agencies keep one token Black or Asian model for the sake of “diversity.” Changes to begin resolving these issues in the industry are recent, but further reflection is still needed.