Gift Ideas from Indie Utah Businesses: Gloss + Shimmer

While our holiday experience this year might look like a chapter out of a dystopian novel, we can all fi nd common ground in our venture to make this year’s holiday season as normal as possible. Still, our heart’s genuine desire to practice the love language of gift-giving remains unaffected by these tumultuous times. As we search for the perfect item for that perfect someone, we want to do so safely and invest our precious coin into people—not corporations. Here are seven local creatives and their products that say “I didn’t forget you amid the chaos” in a perfectly handmade way.

For the starry-eyed loved one who cherishes all things glittery, striking and bold, look to local wearables and home accessory maker Gloss + Shimmer. The business is created, designed and operated by Morgan Rhyan, and her skills in graphic design, jewelry making and entrepreneurship shine as bright as her product does. “Gloss + Shimmer was born right when the pandemic hit. It was by no means what I had hoped entrepreneurship would look like, but it was my fortunate means of survival,” she says. “My first collection launched on March 1 of 2020, and it’s been full speed ever since.”

Inspired by old animated films, music videos and nostalgia for all things ‘80s–’90s, Rhyan captures colors that dance together in hazy dreamworlds and brings them to life through her work. “Right now, I’m big on dream pop, vintage toys, glitter and all things fuzzy,” Rhyan says. With the rhythm of her production humming alongside the beat of her inspiration, Rhyan currently offers earring advent calendars, ornaments, stickers and mirrored wall hangings.

As if her work isn’t potent enough on its own, it is also empowered by its mission to provide wearable and accessible art to everyone. “I try to be as inclusive as I can, and throughout this process, it’s taught me a lot!,” she says. “Anywhere from tweaking my website so that everyone can be versed in its technology, providing custom one-offs to people that only have one piercing, different findings for stretched/torn earlobes or even clip-ons for folks that don’t have any piercings. While doing that, I try to also find balance in representing me as an artist and creative.”

For this holiday season in particular, Rhyan’s Winter Dream earring collection or her custom ornaments would be perfect things to help bring in that holiday cheer. “They’re budget friendly, and super durable since they’re lasered acrylic,” she says. Keep up with Rhyan and Gloss + Shimmer’s creative evolution through her Instagram @glossandshimmer and website. –Bianca Velasquez