From gorgeous hoops to chunky stone rings, Rebecca Norman‘s jewelry collection is a unique treasure. A native of Taiwan, Rebecca Norman recalls her earliest inspiration came as a 10-year-old, when her father took her to see the crown jewels in London. Not long after that incident, Rebecca Norman became obsessed with jewelry. Years later, during a craft fair for students, Ms. Norman realized she could pursue her dream wholeheartedly: her entire table was sold out within two hours! This was a sure indicator of future success. Her college education then provided her with knowledge of jewelry manufacturing and jewelry design. Rebecca Norman‘s jewelry design finally started off after college, when she began selling her work in galleries and street fairs, building up a small group of collectors and taking it from there. The rest is history.
Whereas we once loved the beauty of her jewelry, we now appreciate Ms. Norman’s achievements, together with her designs, even more! Rebecca Norman looks toward the ocean and good food, family and friends for inspiration. With her simple lifestyle, Ms. Norman believes in “owning less, but owning the best quality products.” Advice like this is great to follow and its no wonder this clear mindset has taken her down the road of success. In order to better understand her exquisite work, we decided to ask Rebecca Norman a few questions:
Max & Chloe: Can you describe your favorite piece of jewelry from your childhood?
Rebecca Norman: My mother had a beautiful mother of pearl bracelet from the sixties. It was very mod and very cool.
M&C: Have you always wanted to design things?
RN: I have always wanted to make things and when you make things you tend to design them in a way that fits in to your own esthetic and comfort needs.
M&C: Have you ever expressed yourself through another path apart from jewelry design?
RN: Yes, earlier in my career I designed home accessories – swizzle sticks, coaster holders, picture frames and napkin rings and today I also design a collection of hand stitched clutches in leather and metal.
M&C: What is your favorite creation?
RN: In college I made a ring that featured bronze and silver stripes with a giant pink tourmaline and the whole thing was about 2 inches tall. It was absurd and I have never forgotten it!
M&C: How would you describe your jewelry?
RN: Modern, organic, comfortable, well made, unique.
M&C: Who do you admire? Has this helped you in your career path?
RN: I admire Ted Muehling a lot. I don’t know much about his business or his background but it seems to me that he has always been true to himself as a designer and maintains his independence and vision.
M&C: Where do you travel to?
RN: My parents live in Australia and my sister in Amsterdam so I travel to see all of them at least once a year. I also go to Mexico once or twice a year. I love the people, the food, the art, and the culture of Mexico.
M&C: How did you prepare yourself for the business and marketing aspect of your company?
RN: It was very much a learning process as I was never formally trained in this area but I was eager to learn as much as I could and now I work with people who help me those aspects of my business.
M&C: What is the most important thing you have learned about who you are since you’ve started to pursue your dream of designing jewelry?
RN: The designing part of my work has always been a joy but being able to build a successful business has been a big challenge and knowing that I was able to do that while staying true to myself gives me a lot of pride in my work and in my company.
M&C: How would you describe your ideal jewelry?
RN: Something you love and don’t want to take off.
M&C: What is your favorite piece of jewelry?
RN: At the moment I am rocking a set of 3 hand forged 18k gold bangles with diamonds in them and pairing them up w/ a chunky crystal ring, both from my collection.
M&C: What is your favorite trend?
RN: The movement toward quality, handmade products. Not just in jewelry but in our everyday lives.
M&C: What do you hope to accomplish as a jewelry designer?
RN: I hope to continue expressing myself and taking my business to new and exciting places.
Good interview!