Last week was fashion revolution week. The week where the world takes awareness of the garment industry, remembering the lives lost and injured during the collapse of the Rana Plaza in 2013. But this needs to be a topic that is always in discussion. Not just one week in April.

When I created Blue Rochelle, I knew that I wanted a sustainable brand. A brand that did the best that we could to not create more waste for the world. What does sustainability mean for Blue Rochelle?

Well, first I create all of my pieces in very small batches. I create enough to have a few pieces in stock for my web shop, and supply a few local shops with inventory and that’s all. If you would like something custom made, I’m always willing to work with my customers.

My clay and glazes are made in the US, and I purchase them from a small shop in Rochester, NY, not far away from home! Why clay? Why Porcelain? When I opened a bag of clay, it smelled like damp earth. Clay is a part of the earth. I just knew I needed to create small wearable works of art with this material. It reminded me of hours of being outside on summer break, and watching my grandpa take care of his gardens.

My metals are made in the US. I try to source pieces as close to home as possible. I’ve also began to add more metals to my collections and I’m in the process of working with recycled silver and 14kt gold.

Paper or Plastic? I did much research when thinking about my packaging. Blue Rochelle is an everyday jewelry brand and I wanted eco-friendly packaging. I also wanted you to feel as if you were opening a parcel from the early 1800’s. A small box wrapped in kraft paper tied nicely with cotton ribbon. I’m a bit of a romantic when it comes to lovely packaging. What do you all think? Please do share your thoughts with me. I want you to open your Blue Rochelle piece and have this lovely experience.

All that Fashion!

You might not know this about me, but my background is actually in apparel design and product development. I thought that I would be this amazing fashion designer living this lavish life in NYC. Oh how I was wrong. I went to FIT to show my portfolio, and knew in my soul that NYC was not the place for me. It’s definitely a concrete jungle and this girl was use to green grass, peony bushes, backyard bbq’s and slamming screen doors. (Yes, Taylor just popped in my head). So when I can, I try to sew a few pieces for my wardrobe (like the dress in the photo above). A simple wrap dress with thrifted fabric to pair with any of my jewelry.  Everyday jewelry (and clothing) for the everyday woman. Let me be real for a moment. I spend more time in front of a computer then I do in meadows of wildflowers (a girl can dream can’t she?!) So I like to wear simple pieces that remind me of my love of nature. A necklace imprinted with lavender, a bracelet that has a shape of a rock, or tiny gold dots that look like twinkling lights in the night sky. I hope they remind you of your loves.

Sustainability for me means creating quality products with natural materials in small batches to not have a huge environmental impact. I am always learning, growing, and researching better materials for my pieces, so please do check back in my diary to see what amazing things I’ve discovered.