HDYGTFAJ: Sarah Lewis of Adorn Boutique
Amy Palanjian
Mondays suck. Especially if you hate your job. But the day doesn’t have to be a total waste. You can now look forward to reading about ReadyMakers who have worked their way into f*&%ing awesome jobs—and maybe find a little inspiration to jumpstart your own career in the process—right here, every Monday.
Want to know how a 25 year old turned a successful stint at Free People into a chance to open her own boutique where she sells her handmade jewelry and employs her friends? It's time to learn a lesson from Sarah Lewis of adorn in Philadelphia.
VITAL STATS
Name: Sarah Lewis
Occupation: Owner/Designer/Crafter, adorn handcrafted jewelry
Location: 608 n. 2nd St., Philadelphia
Age: 25
First Job: I had a few childcare and food service jobs when I was younger, but my first full time job was designing accessories for Free People. I have always worked for myself as well; designing, creating and selling my jewelry and other art.
Best Job: Working for myself!
Greatest Professional Challenge: I actually feel that I am facing my greatest challenge right now—I have just recently decided to focus all of my energy on my jewelry company, adorn, have just opened my boutique, and have plans for a new line of jewelry, accessories and apparel that will launch this spring.
Salary During 20s: Well, I’m only 25 now! Last year, when I was an assistant designer for Free People, I was in an entry-level position, so lets just say I wasn’t putting any away. Now that I am working for myself, and it is a very new business, it is hard to say what my "salary" is. However, I have just recently come to the realization that I can make a living doing what I love, and that is worth more that a big salary to me!
1. Hi, Sarah Lewis. How did you get that f*&%ing awesome job?
I have always loved to create. I began working with borosilicate glass in 2000, while in high school, and later fell in love with metalwork and lapidary (working with stones) as well. I have always had an entrepreneurial sensibility, so I have always sold my work – though craft fairs, galleries, shops, etsy.com and through and my website. I guess the key was to make the decision to focus on my business full time, and open adorn. And also to join forces with my business partners Jaime Melfi and Greg Droggitis, because I definitely could not do this all alone.
2. What made you decide to become a jewelry designer?
In a way, jewelry and design is such a part of who I am, I feel like it chose me. I love jewelry because it is basically small-scale wearable sculpture. I enjoy the preciousness and functionality of jewelry, and the way it interacts with apparel and the body. I also just love the physicality of making things with my hands, and silver, glass, and stone are all such great media to work with.
3. What makes your work unique?
My choice of materials, and the way I combine them. For example, I use glass in a way that is different from how glass is typically used in jewelry. I also really love working with natural stones. I try to combine silver, stones, glass, and found objects in interesting ways. Adorn boutique is also unique in that all the jewelry is handmade, and the majority of it is made by me in my studio right in back of the shop—so, we are keeping it "small". Nothing is mass produced, and most of my pieces are one of a kind. I really enjoy selling my work directly to customers in my shop, and getting to explain the techniques and processes used, and tell them about the stones I incorporated, etc.
4. I saw that you work a lot with borosilicate glass—can you explain what that is and how that’s influenced your work? Borosilicate is a type of glass that is similar to Pyrex. I enjoy the fluid nature of glass, and sometimes think of it as a way to create my own ‘stones’, because I create glass pieces that are meant to be set in silver. I also feel that there are endless possibilities with glass because I can manipulate it while it is molten in the flame, and then grind and polish (facet) it after it is cool. I often combine hot and cold working techniques.
5. How did your education at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) help prepare you for launching your line? My metals and jewelry classes at SCAD gave me a great technical background in techniques and processes. I also took Product Design classes that gave me a lot of design experience. I loved being a part of an art school environment and getting to collaborate with people in different creative fields. For example, I had friends in photography teach me how to photograph my work and I got to make jewelry for the fashion department to use in their shows! I really enjoyed my time at SCAD and feel that I got a great education there.
6. Are there any projects that you are currently working on that you’re particularly excited about?
My biggest project lately has been getting my business and my shop up and running. I also am working on a line of jewelry for Free People that will be featured in their March catalog. In addition to that, I am working on a new line of jewelry, accessories, and apparel with my friends Jaime Melfi and Malea Meyer, that we will launch in the Spring.
7. Can you tell us a little bit about the neighborhood in Philly where your shop is located?
I love my neighborhood! I live in Northern Liberties, which is a funky and artsy area of Philly. We have so many great little boutiques, galleries, studios, restaurants and bars. All the people in Northern Liberties are so friendly and sweet, It’s a really fun place to live and work. Its nice to live in a big city, but have a ‘neighborhood’ feel.
8. Did you always want to own your own business or was that something that just kind of happened?
I am extremely passionate about my work, and have always wanted to really focus on it and turn it into a business. In the past, I always had other things like school and jobs and thought of my jewelry as just a profitable hobby, but now my jewelry business is my job, and I am doing it for real.
9. What is your typical day like?
Lately, my time has been divided between designing, working in my studio (to fill wholesale orders, and my cases), ordering supplies, promotion, display, and working on/updating my website, while running the shop. My studio and apartment are right in back of my shop, so I basically never leave work, and my home and work lives are all rolled up into one!
10. What advice would you give to someone looking to make jewelry design as their career?
I would say to learn the technical metalsmithing skills, either by taking classes or apprenticing. Then practice, practice, practice, and love it! I think it is important to be passionate about anything you do.
Want to know how a 25 year old turned a successful stint at Free People into a chance to open her own boutique where she sells her handmade jewelry and employs her friends? It's time to learn a lesson from Sarah Lewis of adorn in Philadelphia.
VITAL STATS
Name: Sarah Lewis
Occupation: Owner/Designer/Crafter, adorn handcrafted jewelry
Location: 608 n. 2nd St., Philadelphia
Age: 25
First Job: I had a few childcare and food service jobs when I was younger, but my first full time job was designing accessories for Free People. I have always worked for myself as well; designing, creating and selling my jewelry and other art.
Best Job: Working for myself!
Greatest Professional Challenge: I actually feel that I am facing my greatest challenge right now—I have just recently decided to focus all of my energy on my jewelry company, adorn, have just opened my boutique, and have plans for a new line of jewelry, accessories and apparel that will launch this spring.
Salary During 20s: Well, I’m only 25 now! Last year, when I was an assistant designer for Free People, I was in an entry-level position, so lets just say I wasn’t putting any away. Now that I am working for myself, and it is a very new business, it is hard to say what my "salary" is. However, I have just recently come to the realization that I can make a living doing what I love, and that is worth more that a big salary to me!
1. Hi, Sarah Lewis. How did you get that f*&%ing awesome job?
I have always loved to create. I began working with borosilicate glass in 2000, while in high school, and later fell in love with metalwork and lapidary (working with stones) as well. I have always had an entrepreneurial sensibility, so I have always sold my work – though craft fairs, galleries, shops, etsy.com and through and my website. I guess the key was to make the decision to focus on my business full time, and open adorn. And also to join forces with my business partners Jaime Melfi and Greg Droggitis, because I definitely could not do this all alone.
2. What made you decide to become a jewelry designer?
In a way, jewelry and design is such a part of who I am, I feel like it chose me. I love jewelry because it is basically small-scale wearable sculpture. I enjoy the preciousness and functionality of jewelry, and the way it interacts with apparel and the body. I also just love the physicality of making things with my hands, and silver, glass, and stone are all such great media to work with.
3. What makes your work unique?
My choice of materials, and the way I combine them. For example, I use glass in a way that is different from how glass is typically used in jewelry. I also really love working with natural stones. I try to combine silver, stones, glass, and found objects in interesting ways. Adorn boutique is also unique in that all the jewelry is handmade, and the majority of it is made by me in my studio right in back of the shop—so, we are keeping it "small". Nothing is mass produced, and most of my pieces are one of a kind. I really enjoy selling my work directly to customers in my shop, and getting to explain the techniques and processes used, and tell them about the stones I incorporated, etc.
4. I saw that you work a lot with borosilicate glass—can you explain what that is and how that’s influenced your work? Borosilicate is a type of glass that is similar to Pyrex. I enjoy the fluid nature of glass, and sometimes think of it as a way to create my own ‘stones’, because I create glass pieces that are meant to be set in silver. I also feel that there are endless possibilities with glass because I can manipulate it while it is molten in the flame, and then grind and polish (facet) it after it is cool. I often combine hot and cold working techniques.
5. How did your education at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) help prepare you for launching your line? My metals and jewelry classes at SCAD gave me a great technical background in techniques and processes. I also took Product Design classes that gave me a lot of design experience. I loved being a part of an art school environment and getting to collaborate with people in different creative fields. For example, I had friends in photography teach me how to photograph my work and I got to make jewelry for the fashion department to use in their shows! I really enjoyed my time at SCAD and feel that I got a great education there.
6. Are there any projects that you are currently working on that you’re particularly excited about?
My biggest project lately has been getting my business and my shop up and running. I also am working on a line of jewelry for Free People that will be featured in their March catalog. In addition to that, I am working on a new line of jewelry, accessories, and apparel with my friends Jaime Melfi and Malea Meyer, that we will launch in the Spring.
7. Can you tell us a little bit about the neighborhood in Philly where your shop is located?
I love my neighborhood! I live in Northern Liberties, which is a funky and artsy area of Philly. We have so many great little boutiques, galleries, studios, restaurants and bars. All the people in Northern Liberties are so friendly and sweet, It’s a really fun place to live and work. Its nice to live in a big city, but have a ‘neighborhood’ feel.
8. Did you always want to own your own business or was that something that just kind of happened?
I am extremely passionate about my work, and have always wanted to really focus on it and turn it into a business. In the past, I always had other things like school and jobs and thought of my jewelry as just a profitable hobby, but now my jewelry business is my job, and I am doing it for real.
9. What is your typical day like?
Lately, my time has been divided between designing, working in my studio (to fill wholesale orders, and my cases), ordering supplies, promotion, display, and working on/updating my website, while running the shop. My studio and apartment are right in back of my shop, so I basically never leave work, and my home and work lives are all rolled up into one!
10. What advice would you give to someone looking to make jewelry design as their career?
I would say to learn the technical metalsmithing skills, either by taking classes or apprenticing. Then practice, practice, practice, and love it! I think it is important to be passionate about anything you do.
