I've been running Jenny N. by myself since the spring of 2008. Working alone for almost seven years can be pretty lonely.
My business resolution for 2015 was to reach out and collaborate with other makers. My favorite makers. The makers whose products have been in my wishlists, in my favorites, and my checkout carts over the years. As you can see, it's happening! This year, I'm bringing aboard some "co-workers" from all over the US to brainstorm and create collaborative products that you will love! Each season will feature an artist whose work I admire and whose products you'll just adore.
Winter 2015, Philadelphia-based shoemaker Sevilla Smith and I have teamed up to create a collection that is perfect for winter (and really, all year)!
I first "met" Faye of Sevilla Smith on Etsy last month in late December, right in the middle of the craziness of the holidays. Even as I was elbow deep in order fulfillment, I knew I had to work with her.
When I saw her shop, I immediately loved her shoes (who wouldn't?). Faye designs and makes each shoe, by hand, in the attic of her home in Philadelphia. Like me, she sources her leather from vendors in the US. Her shoe lasts are custom made for her shop in Spain, where she learned the art of shoemaking. Faye is a veteran costume designer and has worked with actors like Ben Affleck, Ryan Gosling, and Amanda Seyfried to name a few. Her career takes her around the world 3-6 months of the year. When I contacted Faye about a collaboration, she actually just spent the last 3 months living out of the Omni in Pittsburgh working on a movie with Russell Crowe and Amanda Seyfried!
Fortunately for me, it didn't take a lot of persuading on my part for Faye to jump on board this new collaborative adventure with me. We immediately got to work!
Across the state of Pennsylvania, we sent giddy emails filled with cell phone pictures of sketches drawn in the wee hours of the night, shared information on our favorite leather types, production methods, and snail-mailed packages full of swatches to one another to test. In the last few weeks, we've brainstormed, designed, cut, sewn, hammered together a collaborative collection that we think you'll just love!
Makers Co. Lab is our collaboration. We hope you love what we've made for you!
Our collection features The Bucket bag, The Jenny bootie (heehee!), and The Rakia cut-out bootie with corresponding removable leather tassels and kilts!
Now you can get shoes that perfectly match your bag!
(You're very welcome!)
Jenny
p.s. Because I am obsessed with Faye's shoe collection, I've also included The Karina and The Mussenden shoes, as they are perfect for the winter and beyond. Swooooon.
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