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#KNOWWHOMADEIT Profiles: Thread & Stone #004

KWMI_Blog_4 #KnowWhoMadeIt is a movement created to bridge the gap between consumer and producer. For the end user, the products hold much more significance and purpose. For the maker, it honors their creation and provides credit where credit is due. To explore this idea further, we are hosting a series on our blog where we interview those who create and discuss the importance of signing the work they produce. People are behind products. Let’s celebrate this! To see past #KNOWWHOMADEIT PROFILES, click here. Alana and Nicole both discovered their love for creating at a young age. The best friends, now sisters-in-law, honed their talents and developed their own jewelry line Thread & Stone. Both raised in Hawaii on the islands of Maui and Oahu, Alana and Nicole find inspiration in wondrous landscapes, and nods to these natural sights can be seen in the pieces they create. We're so excited to feature Thread & Stone as part of our #KnowWhoMadeIt Profiles! Name: Alana & Nicole Spencer Age: 25 Occupation: Jewelry Making & Marketing Location: Hawaii & Costa Mesa, CA What was the first piece of jewelry Thread & Stone created? A: One of our first pieces and still one of our favorites is the Dakota Handpiece. When we created this piece it was one we loved right away, and in that respect, I don’t think we’ve evolved much at all; we just create pieces we fall in love with. What does your design process look like? A: It’s a pretty quick process; typically we discuss a mood we’d like to evoke in the collection and general inspiration of pieces, then we both sketch in our notebooks. We bring our ideas together and edit down to our favorites. Then we divide and conquer; Nicole handmakes the pieces she designed, and I make the ones I did. With this first round of samples, we iron out any adjustments that need to be made. Like maybe the chain length isn’t quite right, or the weight of the piece doesn’t drape how we imagined; so we make the changes and done! What materials are you drawn towards? A: We work with mostly 14k gold, antique brass, and bronze. We love these materials for how they patina with wear. thread and stone How does living in Hawaii influence your aesthetic? N: The island lifestyle totally influences our aesthetic. Hawaii life for me living on the North Shore is the simplest form of everything and you have your essentials and the beach. I feel like that state of mind carries through when we’re designing and creating a story for every collection. A: Although I don’t live in Hawaii anymore, the culture and lifestyle definitely stuck with me. Everything there is super minimalistic and raw. I definitely think that style translates through my personal style, home decor, and of course jewelry designs. thread and stone How does it feel to see someone wear a piece of jewelry that you designed and created? A: It’s super rad. With Thread & Stone we’ve always taken a handcrafted approach to every piece, so it’s really awesome to see other people believing in and supporting that process too. What do you enjoy doing outside of the office? N: On a good day you’ll find me at a local flea market scavenging through dusty furniture, piles of clothes & tangled jewelry. On an even better day, I’ll be posted up at San O with good friends eating a limitless supply of avocados. That’s the dream! A: When I lived in California, I would be right next to Nicole for all of those adventures. Now that I’m living in Hawaii again, I would say my best days are the ones that revolve around the ocean. I love surfing, and when I’m not surfing I’m swimming around with my camera and water housing photographing other people surfing. thread and stone What does #knowwhomadeit mean to you? A: Growing up in a family that taught me to appreciate all the details, to me it means to look further than surface level and value the process of how things are made. Everyone and everything has a story, and I’ve always had that curiosity, to make a connection with my possessions. N: I constantly remind myself to never take anything for granted and to appreciate the most complex things down to the most simplest of things. To me, #knowwhomadeit is about the person, the product, the process and the story. Everything and everyone has a story to tell and I love that #knowwhomadeit captures that so perfectly. thread and stone What about when you see a signature on a KK intl. product? N: To me there is so much significance in someone’s name. It’s a defining characteristic we all share and the one unique element that we all identify with. I love that I can identify with her and be inspired by her story. A: I love when the world feels big and seeing the signature reminds me that there’s so many possibilities, connections, and stories we have the opportunity to make. I’ve never met the woman that made my piece, but I love that I already feel like I have a connection with her. Who signed your striped 'Byrdie' tee? A: Julia Villegas From one creator to another, what would you say to her? N: You have such a beautiful story that is inspiring to me and so many others. Sending love to you and your family from California to Peru! xx A: Thank you Julia! Your passion and care for your trade does not go unnoticed; even from all the way over here on a tiny island in the middle of the ocean.
FOLLOW THREAD & STONE ON INSTAGRAM // SHOP 'THE BYRDIE'

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