A lifelong love affair with jewelry
I've been collecting vintage and antique everything pretty much my entire life. My dad sold antique furniture and used to take me with him on buying trips; he bought me a trunk filled with antique hats and accessories on one of our regular Thursday night outings (I think just to keep me occupied; auctions can take hours and seven year old girls are not known for their patience), and from there I was hooked. As I grew older, I taught myself to repair, refurbish, and reinvent both clothing and jewelry. Scouring flea markets and thrift stores for interesting bits and pieces became my favorite thing to do.
My mother was an artist and I followed her footsteps to art school, graduating with a BFA in Fashion Design. It seemed a natural progression. There have been so many twists and turns since then: a 10-year stint as a singer in a rock band, 6 months merchandising at a lifestyle and clothing store famous for its vintage and hand-crafted aesthetic (name begins with an A); 8 years as first-hand stitcher and corset maker for The Opera Co. of Philadelphia... some of this concurrent (I'm not THAT old) until I finally settled into styling for commercials, films, and TV.
Styling wardrobe and costume design kept me very aware of current trends and how closely designers pulled from vintage resources and inspiration; I was no exception as I'd always been moved by the craftsmanship and details of antique pieces.
I began designing fine jewelry with my friend and co-conspirator Lisa about 25 years ago for clients, friends, and myself using antique and vintage elements. I’d forage, she’d fix; it was the perfect partnership.
It hit me one day that I was having way more fun creating than I would ever have time to wear all the things we were making, and so The Eden Collective was born. I've spent a great deal of time researching vintage and antique modes, in fact I can honestly say most of my life. It's been part of my upbringing, my work, my livelihood and my passion. The stories I write about the pieces in the shop are as important to me as the photos in order to explain why these things are so special, why they exist at all. If you ever have any questions, or comments about anything you find in the shop I welcome your message.
Thank you for your time, I hope you've enjoyed it!
