If quarantines and self-isolations have taught us anything it’s that social connections are important to our mental health. We need each other—it gives us a sense of belonging and knowing we have a support network gives us confidence.
We’ve found that it’s important to weave these connections into our business as well. Our mission is working to create a bridge between cultures. These relationships help the world become smaller and we hope our work is bringing the world together.
It starts with the artisan who collects the natural or reclaimed materials and continues with the woman who strings the beads onto your necklace. These collaborations create a sense of belonging with others within a small town and the income made possible by these handcrafted styles gives them a voice and allows her to live a life as she chooses.
These connections continue when you purchase and wear that piece. Her work helps you feel a little more “put together” when you wear it. You radiate confidence, maybe even stand a little taller, and definitely have a little more pep in your step. Maybe you’re feeling beautiful today and want to show off a selfie in our Eco + Empowered Group (if you haven’t joined yet, we’d love to have you!). Maybe you’ll even get a compliment from a total stranger today when you wear that favorite piece.
Did you know that even our marketing and social media pages help to create connections, too? We’ve put an emphasis on including diversity since we started in 2014 and while many of our models are normal, everyday people, we also like to work with brand new talent that is aspiring to break into the modeling industry. For many of our gals, we’re the very first brand they’ve ever worked with and it’s so fun to be able to coach them.
One of our first aspiring new models to show off our pieces was Kiara, we were the first brand she ever worked with and has grown to star in ads for big brands like Target, ULTA, and Tommy Hilfiger. We can’t even describe how thrilled we were to see her in these national campaigns—her hard work has won the attention of those big talent scouts and we’re humbled that she was able to begin her career with us.
2020 has seen the message of inclusivity get more attention than ever before and, this is a huge step in the right direction. I’ve noticed that many smaller brands do a great job of featuring models of all shapes, sizes, and skin tones, but many of the larger brands are lagging behind. This is something we’ve taken great care to incorporate into our brand from day one. We love showing off how our styles look in “real life” and having a diverse group of women show off our handcrafted styles is the best way to do that. In 2021 and beyond we think the bigger brands will continue taking note of the importance of equality in representation.
We’re inspired by the women who we’ve crossed paths with all because of this brand we’re building. Running a business is hard, but the rewards help us find the light even on the gloomiest of days. Here’s to the relationships that keep growing stronger, and to those who have yet to cross our path. We can’t wait to be inspired by you. We have big plans for fall and can’t wait to share in the excitement.
