I’ve let New York take control this week… which means eschewing blog posts for instagram, meeting amazing makers (that I’d also call friends!), visiting beautiful shops, and eating. some things never change.
I’m working on a full recap of the Martha Stewart American Made Workshop to share this week and am so excited for the interviews and features I’ve worked on while here! But for now, I’m off to enjoy this city and meet some more amazing people… follow along if you’d like!
Have you seen the Faribault Woolen Mill x West Elm Collection? Let me tell you… it’s good!
I was fortunate to visit Faribault several years ago as part of a training exercise at work – it was a unique experience, and the underutilization of the mill was apparent even though I knew nothing about production at the time. Since then, the mill has been purchased and revitalized, focusing on vertically-integrated [meaning, everything happens in one place!] production with an emphasis on heritage and quality. It’s been amazing to see local Minnesota brands support Faribault over the years, and now I’m thrilled to see the brand gain awareness at a national level.
About Faribault // About the collaboration
I’ve always loved jewelry. I spent hours in Claire’s as a kid (sorry, mom!), fell deep into the beaded + string jewelry phase, and even took metal smithing + stone setting classes in high school. My love could be innate (my 18 month old niece already loves to accessorize!), or it could be a product of the hours I spent watching and helping my mom pick out the perfect pieces while growing up.
Although my taste has changed over the years, I’ve never been one to have a huge collection- I stick to a few pieces and wear them over and over. I feel naked without my constants: a watch, my rings, and a few bracelets, and I swap out my favorite earrings and necklaces each season. Something about jewelry makes it feel more personal than anything else I wear, so I like my pieces to reflect that. I can’t add jewelry to my list of items that should always be bought in America, because I love finding unique pieces when I travel, but I believe that jewelry should always be special, and ideally hand-made.
Some of my current American made jewelry favorites… I own everything on the bottom row and wear the bracelets and rings daily. I’ve been wearing the earrings most days (alternating with these) and am debating which of these three necklaces to add to my collection this season… which one do you like best?!
I can’t decide if my favorite part of this series is the introduction to new brands or learning why my friends buy American made… so many good items and such thoughtful perspectives! Lauren Smith is the author of Seventeenth and Irving. Thank you, Lauren!
