Alexis Kirk

Alexis Kirk
Alexis Kirk in 1970 wearing a necklace of his own design.
Born	Alexis Kirk (1936-12-29)29 December 1936 Los Angeles
Died	17 May 2010(2010-05-17) (aged 73) New York City
Residence	New York, United States
Education	Harvard University, Rhode Island School of Design
Known for	Jewelry and fashion accessory design
Spouse(s)	Hope Sands (1971-1973, divorced)

Alexis Kirk (29 December 1936 – 17 May 2010) was an American-born Armenian jewelry designer who also designed clothing and fashion accessories.

Kirk, although born in Los Angeles, and brought up in New England, self-identified as Armenian. His father, Paul Kirk, was an artist for Walt Disney, and his grandfather, Charles Vemyan, worked as a glass craftsman for René Lalique. Some of Alexis's grandfather's jewelry is reportedly preserved in the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul.

Alexis Kirk studied art under Walter Gropius at Harvard University, and also attended the Rhode Island School of Design before becoming a lecturer in painting, sculpture and music at the University of Tennessee.

Alexis Kirk's first design, which he personally wore, was a collar of Islamic glass beads and assorted charms, typical of his early work which featured amulets and symbols drawn from cultures and religions around the world, including the hamsa, Indian Paisley motifs, and Chinese fish. Kirk was very superstitious, with a strong interest in the occult and spirituality, which was reflected in his work. He started out with a small studio in Newport, Tennessee, selling jewelry to clients such as the Senator's wife. This led to a contract to design a budget-priced line of jewelry for the Hattie Carnegie company, which was a commercial failure. Following this, Kirk decided to move to New York to set up business there.