Owner Irina Jatskova Corso designs and hand-crafts each magical creation at Moon Child. Photo by Karen Rempel.
By Karen Rempel | Fashion Editor
Moon Child is a magical wonderland of fantastical creations by owner Irina Jatskova Corso. The first thing that catches your eye and draws you into the store is Irina’s mystical handmade dreamcatchers. Then you enter an enchanted forest of unique handmade jewelry crafted from earth stones and crystals for personal wellness. As you venture further inside, you’ll see beaded pouches. Hanging flower vases. Clothes, hats. If you are tuned to the realm of crystal energy, you’ll love it and feel magnetically drawn in.
Working with crystals is a natural creative outlet for Irina, who could feel the energy of the stones even as a young child. However, she began designing jewelry later in life, as her third career. Following her early love for earth stones and crystals, she trained as a geological engineer in Belarus. When she moved to the United States in the early ’90s, she began working as a fashion designer for houses such as Jones New York, first as an assistant, and eventually rising to the position of director.
A life-changing moment came for Irina five years ago when she wandered into the Williamsburg independent creators’ market Artists and Fleas. Irina recalls, “That day there were so many jewelry vendors. I went from booth to booth to booth, and all of them were different. Different looks, unique, one-of-a-kind. And I thought ‘Look at this, maybe there is a place for me here, too.’ I love unique things.”
Irina never says no to inspiration. Soon she began making and selling her creations at Artists and Fleas, refining her skills and developing her unique jewelry designs based on the interactive energy with her clients. After two years selling exclusively at the market, Irina opened Moon Child on Christopher Street. She loves introducing people to the magic of crystals and seeing the light in their eyes as they begin to feel the energy of the crystals. Clients often return with stories of how wearing the crystals created positive change their lives.
Today, five years after that life-changing day, Irina has loyal clients from around the globe, including royalty and celebrities. She gets her inspiration from the crystals, and designs elaborate statement pieces around the shapes of the natural stones. She makes necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and of course her amazing dreamcatchers, incorporating the magic of crystals, precious stones, or semiprecious stones into every item. Irina says, “I use my dreamcatcher as a healing meditation. As girls we like to wake up and see something nice. It puts a smile on your face.”
She makes some of her pieces with crocheted chains that don’t contain metal, for people who have metal sensitivities and can’t wear silver or gold. She sources clothing directly from her contacts from her days as a fashion designer, allowing her to price her clothing and jewelry very reasonably. Irina still has a weekend booth at Artists and Fleas.
45 Christopher Street, 212-243-2500. Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 11 AM to 7 PM. Closed Monday. moonchildstore.nyc
