I always feel like I talk about our new business ad naseum, but I am realizing that friends and family who don’t spend every waking moment on Instagram still might not know what I’ve been working on. So here it is, a size inclusive, demi-fine jewelry brand. And the name that I started this blog with will be carried over from Chouette Style, to Chouette Designs.
The Big Idea
The idea for the brand really took hold in 2019 when I was going on 7 years in the jewelry section of a high-end department store. I was tired of receiving shipments of size 6.5 rings and telling the customers who share my same size that they would have to pay a premium and wait 4-6 weeks for their ring to arrive before they could even try it on. I was tired of feeling like I was slowly losing all of my commission-based business to the internet, and how frequently I was getting passed over for promotions because I didn’t fit the waif-thin, Orange County aesthetic. I was a size 20 lesbian working in the luxury jewelry space so yea, I didn’t always feel like I fit in.
Growing the Dream
Then I got hired by one of our biggest vendors- it was a dream job where I’d get to travel all around the country and teach the salespeople how to sell and merchandise the product. I had finally made it off the sales floor, I had weekends off! Then 2020 happened, and I was relegated to a part time, work from home, collect unemployment work model. I started doing some work on their social media, while daydreaming about how I would run my own company’s future social pages. I envisioned the models we’d hire, the beautiful packaging we’d provide, the incredible gemstones we’d feature. I knew I could make these dreams a reality, I just had to go for it. I quit a lot earlier than I had planned to, to be honest. I was so lucky we had some savings, most of which we set aside for this new venture.
Custom Offerings
While working towards the Chouette Designs launch for the last year, I’ve also been so grateful to my friends and followers who have reached out to inquire about custom jewelry. Before we’ve even launched, we’ve already made engagement rings, wedding bands, bridal earrings and men’s jewelry. It’s a dream of mine to continue to make these unique pieces our customers can’t find anywhere else, and now it has become a thriving part of the business
Coming Soon
We’re officially launching November 5th with a collection of silver and gold-plated pieces featuring natural Tanzanite and lab grown pink Spinel. We’re proud to be offering 18 ring sizes and 3 bracelet sizes at launch, with plans to further expand as we grow. We are proud to bring our whole selves to Chouette Designs as a plus-sized, LGBTQ women-owned business. We cannot wait for you to shop, and to see how you style your new pieces.
So happy you took the plunge!
Thanks Marine <3