You started out working with clothes designers. Why jewelry? I've always been interested in jewelry. I've always made my own jewelry. Working in fashion, I was able to meet store buyers, and when they became interested in the things I made, I started thinking about making my own collection and moving from fashion to jewelry.
How would you describe your jewelry? Also, will you describe a few customer favorites? I describe my collection as a modern take on vintage. It is feminine colorful. Customer favorites are always turquoise, and rose gold has been popular…oh and zodiac stuff-people go crazy over my zodiac pieces.
How is your personality reflected in what you design? I would say the longer I've been doing this, the more my collection reflects my personal taste. When I started, I was taking a lot of requests from stores. But I love making pieces I like to wear, and I feel that's why it does well because it is something I am passionate about. It has been incredible.
Which pieces do you wear all the time? I wear my Gemini necklace daily and couple it with other necklaces. I also always wear my wire-wrapped bangles.
How many? 25.
What are you wearing now? Ripped up jeans, Chanel flats, a vintage T-shirt with a dinosaur and all the bangles.
How long have you known you wanted to be in the fashion industry? Since I was little. I would always dress up our dog and cats growing up. When I got to TCU, they had a fashion-merchandising program that I loved.
I know you go to "market" in LA, Chicago, NYC and Dallas multiple times a year and sell your jewelry all over the country. But where can we find it in Fort Worth? A really cute store on Camp Bowie called You Are Here.
You're a one-woman operation. Does that come with challenges? It is stressful. I love doing it, but it is constant work. I want to be involved in all aspects [so] it is hard to give control away to somebody else. And I'm always worried about being too busy or not being busy enough. There is never an even plateau.
What does a normal day look like? [I do] office stuff in the morning, [then] emailing and contacting stores to hear how things are going. I design for a couple hours. Then hand-making pieces based off the designs, then photographing jewelry for the website, [and] keeping social media up to date.
Is your jewelry handmade or factory-made? Handmade. It is important to the collection. I feel it gives the people who buy it a sense of…I don't know…It makes it more personal, and I feel like that's what my line is about.
Who inspires you? My mom…definitely. She put me through All Saints and TCU on her own. She's an interior designer, so I feel like I get a lot of my creativity from her. And she is always telling me to push harder and keep going. Jewelry designer Jacquie Aiche is amazing [too]. I love her stuff. It's gorgeous. It's so creative. She has body chains and these amazing finger bracelets. It is so eclectic [and] all about making women feel beautiful, and I find that inspiring.
What do you do to wind down from a long day running your own business? Wine, running and anything to take my mind off it. I love to read. I try to stop at 6 or 7 p.m. It's hard when you're running your own business, but it is important.| by Jocelyn Tatum |
