Draft:Awe Inspired

Awe Inspired, also referred to simply as Awe, is a fine and demi-fine jewelry brand based in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 2018 by gemologist Jill Johnson and her son Max Johnson, with a focus on fine jewelry that reinterprets goddesses from a range of mythological traditions. The brand has released collections co-designed with Julia Fox, Alanis Morissette, Kim Petras and Jhené Aiko. Select collections include a charitable component, through which the company has given over $500,000 to charitable partners. Celebrities photographed wearing the brand include Taylor Swift, Halle Berry, Meghan Markle and Madonna.

History

Awe Inspired was founded in 2018 by Jill Johnson and her son Max Johnson, out of a desire to support survivors of cancer with meaningful fine jewelry. Jill Johnson is a three-time cancer survivor, and the pair created a line intended as a source of strength for women experiencing personal trials, drawing on mythic figures.

While recovering from a double mastectomy, Jill Johnson conceived the idea of an "elevated/luxury equivalent of the LiveStrong bracelet", both as a gift for other survivors and for those who helped her recover. "The idea was to be able to give to people within your circle, whether it was your doctors, your nurses, your friends, your family," she said in a 2025 interview with TODAY.

Max Johnson has said the name Awe Inspired came directly from his mother's experience in treatment, describing how survivors spoke of "a turning point they experienced once they hit emotional rock bottom and saw the light at the end of the tunnel. This 'moment of awe'."

The initial line centred on the company's Goddesses, modern reinterpretations of female figures from mythology, which remain central to the collection. The brand created the Goddess Necklace as a "universal motif of strength".

In 2020 the company saw an increase in press coverage and sales during the COVID-19 pandemic. Charitable partnerships contributed to its visibility: a Harriet Tubman pendant, part of a "Real-Life Goddess" collection, benefited the NAACP; a Florence Nightingale pendant benefited the National Federation of Nurses at a time when healthcare workers were under strain, and gained wider attention after cast members of Grey's Anatomy wore it; and a 14-karat gold vermeil Kamala Harris pendant created before the 2020 election benefited EMILY's List.

In the years since, the company has expanded its assortment to include a modular jewelry system, hair accessories, a range of non-jewelry "Ritual Goods" including journals and room sprays, and, in 2025, a 14-karat solid gold and diamond collection called Eternal Awe. Its products are carried at Nordstrom and Anthropologie.

Collections

The original Goddess Pendant designs remain central to the company's collections, with new goddesses and mythological figures introduced seasonally. Its jewelry is made from 14-karat gold vermeil and .925 sterling silver, often inlaid with gemstones. The primary collection consists of charms, necklaces, earrings and bracelets, including modular "Collector" pieces that can be configured with any of the brand's charms. Some pieces are functional, such as lockets designed to hold a written manifestation and vial necklaces intended to hold perfume. Non-jewelry offerings include a hair jewelry collection released in 2026, accessories such as lighter covers and bag charms, and dream and Goddess journals combining written material with guided prompts.

The collections draw on themes at the intersection of spirituality, mythology and female empowerment. Astrology, aura reading, tarot, cosmic phenomena, and mythological figures ranging from Celtic lore to ancient Egyptian deities, Greek tragedy and Yoruba Orishas appear frequently. Political symbols, including the woman power symbol and pendants referencing Roe v. Wade, are also present. Each seasonal collection reinterprets these themes, such as 2026's IRONCLAD, which approached female strength through modernised medieval armour and the figure of Joan of Arc, and a forthcoming collection revisiting the myth of Persephone from a Victorian spiritualist perspective.

Collaborations

Since 2018 the company has released co-designed collections with celebrities, including a 2024 collection with Alanis Morissette tied to her Triple Moon Tour; a 2024 Lilith collection with actress and author Julia Fox; a 2025 "Queen of the Fairies" collection with Kim Petras supporting Glisten; and a 2026 "Terra Futura" collection with Los Angeles musician Jhené Aiko.

The brand has released Pride pendants annually, with proceeds benefiting LGBTQ organisations, in collaboration with figures including Pose actor Indya Moore, whose piece honoured Marsha P. Johnson; The L Word actor Leisha Hailey; Kerri Colby of RuPaul's Drag Race; and Fire Island actor Zane Phillips.

In 2025 the company collaborated with New York fashion label Collina Strada on a collection aligned with that label's spring 2026 runway show, which debuted at New York Fashion Week.

In 2026 the company partnered with director Meredith Alloway on the Awe x Forbidden Fruits collection, designed for the IFC/Shudder horror film of the same name. Alloway had worn a Lilith signet ring from the brand during pre-production, and the collection includes pieces referencing the film's four principal characters, played by Lili Reinhart, Lola Tung, Victoria Pedretti and Alexandra Shipp.

Recognition

Co-founders Jill Johnson and Max Johnson have appeared on TODAY and ABC News discussing the experiences that shaped the brand. Max Johnson has been interviewed as an industry figure by Modern Retail, XO Diva D and Modern Luxury.

The company was named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in 2024 and 2025, and was included in The Lead's Foremost 50 list in 2024.