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Q1 Please tell us your brief profile and career. Why did you become a designer?
I am a self taught designer, I used to take everything apart so I could see how it was put together. I then started making different pieces for myself, things I couldn't find in the stores. I've had a hair salon since 1992 and my clients started asking about and buying my jewelry right off my neck. That was it, I was hooked. In 2005 I decided to make a serious effort to turn the jewelry into a business and so it began, I've worked with different local clothing designers, stylists and photographers and did a couple of San Francisco Fashion Weeks, which was great fun. My jewelry can be found in about 35 boutiques all over the United States and a couple of online boutiques as well as my web site, it's moving along. I really love this work, this is what I want to do. I have so many ideas I'm going to do this for as long as I can. |
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Q2 Would you tell us about the brand? What is the concept behind it?
The concept for all my jewelry has really been about what I what to wear at the time,everything ends up a little bigger, longer, brighter - over the top, slightly. I hear all the time that my earrings are too big or too long, or the necklaces, especially the vintage, are too big or too fancy, I can’t help it that's the stuff I love. It's so fun to see someone who wouldn't usually wear something like that, try it on and look fantastic. I think the brand is about fun, not taking yourself too seriously. Try something that you wouldn't normally try, put on that big sparkly necklace with your jeans and tee shirt, ya know?
Q3 Currently which stores carry your brand in the world? Price range?
Please take a look at my web site, I have a list of all the stores with more to come! |
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Q8 Would you tell us about your next collection? Any future plans?
It's still weird for me to think so far ahead, it's November and I'm showing Spring 08 and I need to be working on Summer 08! I have a few ideas, I'm really into vintage brass right now, we'll see they're still just ideas. As far as future plans, I plan to just keep going along and hope people like what I do. |
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Q9 What is your favorite food? Any good restaurants?
What don't I like! I live in area with so many great restaurants to choose from it's crazy. I love it all!
Q10 Where do you like to shop?
I like to shop, period. My favorite places are smaller boutiques because they seem to have more unique things. I really like the idea of supporting up and coming, smaller designers, they usually have a fresh take on things and I like that. You don't always see that in the big department stores or malls.
Q11 Do you have any advice for the young people?
You can do or be anything you want! Really, I mean why spend all that time at work and hate what your doing, if you have a passion for something, you can make it happen. It might get really hard, but that makes success all the more sweet. Keep at it! |
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I have been fooling around with beads and wire etc. for years, self taught, I used to take things apart to see how they were made. I established my business in the beginning of 2005 and named the jewelry line after myself because I remember what a pain it was coming up with a name for my salon. A client of mine that was a graphic design student, designed my logo for a school project, and I set up a work space in my laundry room. I had another client set up my website for me and I was ready to go. I currently have four different collections, the Vintage collections are bangles and necklaces using vintage jewelry, I love finding really cool vintage pieces and turning them into something else. The Ear Candy collection, that came from my love of big, long earrings, the Charmed collection, and the Kalahari collection, which is alot of wood and shell mixed with metal and semi precious stones, I got the inspiration for that collection from reading a book set in Africa. I have had the privlage to work with different local clothing designers, stylists and photographers, there has been a little press and I have my jewelry in some stores. It's moving along and I am just delighted to be doing this, I can't wait to see what comes my way next. |
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Q4 What is your greatest inspiration?
The vintage jewelry is my favorite, I get so inspired when I see a great piece that's screaming to be reinvented. That said, I've also been very inspired by a really good book, art or my garden - it just happens. Sometimes you just see or hear something and you get an idea. You never know when or where your going to be inspired.
Q5 What kind of jewelry style is the trend for this season?
I try not to follow to trends too closely, I feel more free to design what I want, better to set the trend, right? I would go crazy trying to keep up with what everyone else is doing. Not to say I don't pay attention, you kind of have to, I just don't like it to influence my jewelry.
Q6 What do you think of the fashion/jewelry industry in Japan right now?
I don't know much, but from what I've seen it's very current and slightly edgy. I like that it seems very open to everything. |
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Q7 Do you usually wear jewelry? What kind of style do you like?
Yes, I love to wear jewelry! You know how stylists say, "before you leave the house take one accessory off", I always need to take something off, I tend to over do it otherwise. I wear all my jewelry but right now I'm into my big long earrings. |
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