Cival Collective is a creative women owned jewelry design company. Their shop extends beyond conventional bounds. As both retail store and studio they offer fully custom fine jewelry, antique restoration and handmade semiprecious collections inspired by classic historic design, imbued by modern ingenuity.  

Cival's founder, Rae, takes a special interest in Victorian memento mori, amphora and utilitarian objects, and through this design approach their company strives to create such pieces that fill a function, have purpose, and stand the test of time. 

Rae is fully immersed in the art of making, she is deeply visual and teeming with endless ideas. Rae leads a group of fiercely talented creatives. Forging a very unexpected, delightful retail and design studio experience all in one. Her affinity to draw together just the right people showcase her broader vision as an artist and business owner. The array of creative points of view echo throughout their Walkers Point shop. Through the exploration of additive process design, this highly talented crew hits every note of expression. From the most delicate whispers of design to elaborate feats of engineering — there is no doubt a common theme of endless creativity within their walls. Cival Collective is truly something entirely all their own. 

History | From Small Beginnings

Cival is derived from a pre-Mayan civilization where the word was translated from the local language for “where the water meets the sea ''. Cival was a topic of focus during Rae's undergraduate study at Shepherd University where she double majored in Photography and Sculpture. After graduating Rae pivoted her focus, designing wearable sculptural pieces as a creative outlet and full on creative obsession. By 2013, Rae was determined to take Cival from a passion into a full time career, gathering other women creatives and skilled artisans to round out her design team - Cival Collective was born.

Starting with trade shows, makers markets, and slowly building an online presence, Cival Collective was finally able to establish a magical brick and mortar studio and retail space in the Milwaukee neighborhood of Walker's Point in 2017. With this expansion of their company they were able to bring on more staff. Nina Palacio joined the team in 2019 working on semi-precious designs for their line and offering their customer base fully custom designed engagement, bridal and modern heirloom fine jewelry.  Nina comes with a decade of experience and is widely know as one of Milwaukee's most talented custom designers. 

We believe that every company, large or small, should conduct their business in the most socially, ethically, and environmentally responsible manner possible. In 2023, Cival was recognized as an official member of Jewelers of America. Jewelers of America requires its members to commit annually to professional practices for their day-to-day business operations. This means that we only work with suppliers who:

  • Use recycled materials in their manufacturing processes.
  • Use materials that were sourced by individuals who received proper compensation and were free of any forced and child labor.
  • Supply diamonds that comply with the Kimberly Process, which ensures that diamonds are imported and exported with a government-validated certificate stating that the diamonds are conflict free.

 

Company Beliefs | A Note from Rae

 

It remains to be seen if the uprisings of 2020 will resolve the long-standing issues of racial injustice fought again and again on America’s streets but, when we stand in solidarity as one, as many races that march together against injustice, the arc of history may be bending toward justice again. 

Decades later we’re still facing intolerable racism, police brutality, racial discrimination, dehumanization, oppression, segregation, and staggering numbers of incarcerated black American citizens. 2020 marks the largest widespread recognition of systemic racism in our country deeply rooted in 300 years of slavery and ethnic intolerance.

The massive resistance against the unjust treatment of people of color on every level has come to a breaking point. Today and every day moving forward let us not go back to “normal” but stay vigilant and stand united against the system that continues to abuse its power. 

Please take the time to continue to research organizations & educate yourselves (*white folks) on how to help, every day. To be an ally and not a hinderance. Please do not place the burden of *your education on any of your black friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, the lady at the grocery store, etc. This is not their job, and it is not their responsibility to bear the weight of your guilt or emotional outrage either. Put your energy, your efforts, your money, your physical labor into dismantling the systems that have failed & that continue to fail the black and non-white POC, queer, transgender & indigenous communities.

We have so much work to do. Be Kind to one another, Support one another, Stand alongside one another. We are stronger together!