MAIA + LYRA began as an exploration. Launched in 2021 as a fashion jewelry brand, it served as a space for experimentation and creative discovery. Over time, it became clear that the original form did not reflect the depth, intention, or permanence its founder was seeking. By the end of 2022, MAIA + LYRA began its quiet evolution into fine jewelry, shaped by a desire to create pieces that felt lasting, meaningful, and true.

As conversations around marriage and lifelong commitment entered her own life, founder Alice Radu found herself drawn to jewelry not as adornment, but as legacy. That personal shift sparked a deeper curiosity into custom design, casting, and stone setting. In early 2023, MAIA + LYRA officially transitioned into a fine jewelry house, and the vision fully aligned.

Alice is self-taught in jewelry design and sketches every concept by hand before it becomes a finished piece. Her creative foundation began in fine art, working in acrylics, pastels, and pencil drawing, before evolving into makeup artistry in her early twenties, where light, texture, and shimmer became her primary mediums. Though her professional path once led her into finance, creativity remained constant, simply finding a more permanent form through fine jewelry.

The name MAIA + LYRA is deeply personal. It comes from Alice’s two cats, both named after stars and constellations, a reflection of her lifelong love for the night sky, the moon, and all things romantic and otherworldly. The name serves as a reminder that the most meaningful designs are often rooted in real life, rather than invention.

Photo by Clark Miller Photography.