The founding father of Susan Alexandra, Susan Korn, started making her now-iconic beaded purses after a neighborhood stroll via Chinatown in New York Metropolis. “I handed by this little jewel field boutique and it was stuffed with beads. I went in there and I simply had this imaginative and prescient for a bag I wished,” Korn mentioned. “I requested her if she made luggage. She did not, however she mentioned she may sort of make something. I drew it out on a Submit-It Notice that she had there.”
Since Korn started promoting these recognizable equipment, she’s expanded her line to incorporate customizable jewellery, homeware, and extra. On the most recent episode of The Who What Put on Podcast, Korn shares how Susan Alexandra went from promoting jewellery to turning into a family title, her styling ideas, and extra. For excerpts from their dialog, scroll under.
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Are you able to give us a little bit background on how the Susan Alexandra model got here to be and catch us up on a few of your largest moments of the previous few years?
I moved to New York once I was round 25, and I actually did not know precisely what I wished to be. I knew I wished to do one thing in trend. I simply did not know what that meant. I feel I had all the time been actually afraid of being a designer as a result of that meant you had a lot duty and also you needed to be inventive on a regular basis and it simply appeared like an excessive amount of. I resisted that and I attempted to work for different folks for a very long time, however I felt like I could not breathe. I felt like I used to be hiding one thing about me that was actually pure and true.
That feeling led me to simply dabble in numerous courses and experiment with loads of issues and I discovered that I really like jewellery. I really had all the time recognized that, however I actually, actually felt it. I began making these jewellery items, after which, slowly however certainly, I’d put on them round city and I’d begin promoting them and never in a severe method, you recognize. Not the place I may give up my day job.
Then very slowly, however certainly, I constructed sufficient of an Instagram following, the place I used to be contacted by somebody who was like, “Oh, do you wish to do wholesale?” I by no means felt so embraced and seen and it was simply such a rush of feelings. This lady who found me, she actually pushed me into beginning a real, actual enterprise, the place I may really give up my day job.
I began with jewellery, after which fairly quickly after that, I began making purses and I began making these beaded luggage as a result of I used to be dwelling in Chinatown in New York Metropolis and I discovered this lady simply strolling down the road. I handed by this little jewel field boutique and it was stuffed with beads. I went in there and I simply had this imaginative and prescient for a bag I wished. I requested her if she made luggage. She did not, however she mentioned she may sort of make something. I drew it out on a Submit-It Notice that she had there.
That is how I began making luggage. It was sort of loopy as a result of I posted it on Instagram and I would already been promoting jewellery for a few years, and that was my model identification. Then, I posted this bag and I would by no means had a lot suggestions in my life about individuals who wished to purchase stuff. The luggage actually modified every part. I began promoting wholesale to the shops that I all the time dreamed of.
Susan Alexandra
Mini Espresso Martini Bag
I am curious you probably have any ideas for styling these extra daring or whimsical items. How do you pull it off?
I simply love taking in people who find themselves true to themselves. The best way you gown is so true to your self and also you’re minimal, however you’re keen on little particulars, too, and private particulars. The best way I gown—and particularly as I become older—I am like, “What makes me really feel actually good and protected and joyful?” So it’s sort of a pure factor for me to do.
I’d say that when you’re experimenting and also you wish to present extra of your self in the way in which that you just gown, I feel jewellery is a extremely good technique to do it. I all the time really feel like each time I meet a superb lady, like a lady, that you just’re like, “Who’s she? What does she do? Is she a documentary filmmaker, owns a gallery in Mykonos…” or one thing. They’re all the time these ladies who’re sporting actually attention-grabbing jewellery. I all the time measurement folks up, and I really feel like they will inform I am staring.
Susan Alexandra
Chantilly Opal Necklace
Susan Alexandra
Make Your Personal
For instance, that is this new sort of chain that we’re taking part in with—or we simply put out—it is known as Vortex and it is all these completely different crystals. I am sporting all these crystals which have all these completely different meanings subsequent to my physique and these are two classic, diamond-paved pendants that I am sporting that simply seem like they’ve a narrative.
Simply put on issues that you just love. Simply put on issues that remind you of a good looking time in your life or put on issues which can be good luck. I feel that there are such a lot of methods to make dressing attention-grabbing and enjoyable and I feel issues which have that means are so, so essential for getting via life. Feeling supported, protected, protected, all of the issues that we have to really feel.
Susan Alexandra
Chai Necklace in Bronze
Let’s discuss a few of the Judaica. I do know this assortment is near your coronary heart, so inform me about growing these items and being drawn to convey that into the Susan Alexandra universe.
Effectively, I am Jewish, and I actually love the tradition of being Jewish. I really like loads of issues about it, however I felt very restricted once I was in search of menorahs and dreidels and companies. I used to be like, “There’s nothing right here that I wish to have in my residence.” Most of us, particularly in cities, stay in residences the place there’s not loads of house, so what we purchase needs to be on show.
I used to be like, “I would like one thing that is so good that I may preserve it out year-round and I can take a look at it and, like, take pleasure in it even when it wasn’t the vacations.”
Then I used to be like, “Let’s simply make them actually enjoyable. Let’s take the identical spirit that we put into like our jewellery and our luggage and put it into this very particular class.”
We began making actually bizarre, funky menorahs, and folks actually, actually favored them. It has been about three years, and that is our third assortment, and I am actually stunned at how a lot it resonates with folks.
Susan Alexandra
Pickle Jar Menorah
Susan Alexandra
Eden Menorah
This interview has been edited and condensed for readability.
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