My first trip to NYC was at age twelve. I was on a business trip with my "Aunt" Jane, fashionista extraordinaire, who ran the Chicago showroom of a high end costume jewelry company. As a preteen I had to know THE most important thing in jewelry at that moment, and she answered me with two unforgettable words, "Aurora Borealis." There my fashion story began, but even I didn't know it at the time!
Fast forward many years later, I had been collecting vintage jewelry over the years (the kind that reminded me of Aunt Jane.) I'm now a grown up and "Aunt" Jane is visiting. So naturally we go shopping. I proudly take her to our new boutique department store and we circle the place from end to end, but leave empty handed. Still hanging on her every word, I ask, "Aunt Jane, what did you think?" She shakes her head and simply says, "It didn't tell me a story." There my fashion story continued, but even I didn't know it at the time.
Fast forward a few more years. The year is 2001 and multi colored beaded bracelets on stretch cord worn in sets of three are the Aurora Borealis of that day. I have just begun to take some of my vintage jewelry pieces apart to make into these beaded bracelets. I was wearing them at the hair salon when two women stopped me to find out where I got them. I sheepishly answered, "I made them out of old jewelry." The first lady bought them off my arm and the second lady came to my house to buy more. There my jewelry design business began, but even I didn't know it at the time.
At that time I was doing clothing trunk shows for a New York fashion designer and I also helped her select fabrics for her line and attended New York trade shows with her to help her select underpinnings to go with the clothes she manufactured. She encouraged me to make more bracelets that she could sell at her clothing trunk shows. I thought about Aunt Jane and how I needed to tell a story with those bracelets. So I decided then and there that I wanted to use vintage components to create modern jewelry, a nod to the past with a firm grip on today's styles.
Well, it wasn't long before I ran out of my own vintage jewelry to take apart. Start up money was needed. (Of course, I had no business plan and no name for my business.) I just knew I wanted to make more bracelets. So I went to an antique jewelry store and made my initial investment of $150 in antique beaded necklaces to take apart and here I am eleven years later, and I have never had to invest another penny in my business. I have been telling my story, one piece at a time.
Stay tuned to hear about more people, places and things that have inspired The Montage Collection, and how I have chosen to take the road less traveled to create my very unique jewelry design business.
www.myrnahalpern.com
OK, so I was interested in fashion as a young child.
Check out the fancy dress and my Cinderella watch!
Here's Aunt Jane, beads and all!
My original beaded bracelets.
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