Jennifer
Fisher:
Accessories Can Be a Labor of Love
Fisher:
Accessories Can Be a Labor of Love
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Meet Jennifer Fisher: Adoring wife, loving mother of two and owner of her own eponymous line, Jennifer Fisher Jewelry. But Jennifer
Fisher Jewelry is not your everyday mom-makes-jewelry-now-found-on-Etsy.com kind of line. This is edgy, fun, yet classy
entrepreneurship the way New Yorkers like it done. A Santa Barbara, California native, Jennifer Fisher made her way to New York
City to start her family after having worked in Hollywood for over ten years as a wardrobe stylist. Having her first child Shane proved
to be a difficult experience and that breakthrough proved to be the artistic catharsis she didn’t know she was looking for.
After the birth of Shane, Jennifer went on the hunt for the perfect piece of jewelry that not only had his name, but one that really spoke
to her tastes. Well, it’s a good thing she went home empty-handed because that’s precisely how the line was born. After finding
nothing that suited her specific needs, she went ahead and designed the piece all on her own, a simple dog-tag that read ‘Shane’
on a long thick chain. After friends and family had a look, the requests for other designs started pouring in. Worn by urbanite
mothers and celebrities alike (Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts, Liv Tyler and Uma Thurman are all fans), Fisher’s “mommy-jewelry”
line is a full-blown, bonafide success (you’ve probably seen a couple of her pieces in a tiny little show called Gossip Girl and a
small, intimate film called Sex and the City).
I was ever so fortunate enough to meet Jennifer Fisher myself at her beautiful showroom in Soho, where she opened up about her
family, her childhood in Santa Barbara, Wyler – her exciting and new fur line which is due to debut later this fall and how Mexican
tattoos, chain-linked steering wheels and her father’s Native American artifacts all helped to influence her art today.
Fisher Jewelry is not your everyday mom-makes-jewelry-now-found-on-Etsy.com kind of line. This is edgy, fun, yet classy
entrepreneurship the way New Yorkers like it done. A Santa Barbara, California native, Jennifer Fisher made her way to New York
City to start her family after having worked in Hollywood for over ten years as a wardrobe stylist. Having her first child Shane proved
to be a difficult experience and that breakthrough proved to be the artistic catharsis she didn’t know she was looking for.
After the birth of Shane, Jennifer went on the hunt for the perfect piece of jewelry that not only had his name, but one that really spoke
to her tastes. Well, it’s a good thing she went home empty-handed because that’s precisely how the line was born. After finding
nothing that suited her specific needs, she went ahead and designed the piece all on her own, a simple dog-tag that read ‘Shane’
on a long thick chain. After friends and family had a look, the requests for other designs started pouring in. Worn by urbanite
mothers and celebrities alike (Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts, Liv Tyler and Uma Thurman are all fans), Fisher’s “mommy-jewelry”
line is a full-blown, bonafide success (you’ve probably seen a couple of her pieces in a tiny little show called Gossip Girl and a
small, intimate film called Sex and the City).
I was ever so fortunate enough to meet Jennifer Fisher myself at her beautiful showroom in Soho, where she opened up about her
family, her childhood in Santa Barbara, Wyler – her exciting and new fur line which is due to debut later this fall and how Mexican
tattoos, chain-linked steering wheels and her father’s Native American artifacts all helped to influence her art today.
By Alexander Patiño
FASHION Q&A: Jewelry is very romantic and I know you’re a very passionate person. The Jennifer Fisher
Jewelry line is a labor of love of sorts. But before you were working in California as a wardrobe stylist and
before coming to New York where your jewelry line came into fruition, what were Jennifer Fisher’s dreams?
What were your dreams before any of this came into play?
JENNIFER FISHER: I always wanted to be a magazine editor. When I was in high-school I would beg my mother to
get me all the European fashion magazine subscriptions. I would get French Vogue and I would take the pages
and the covers and have my whole room wallpapered in images of models and clothing that I thought was
amazing – just how I wanted to look and dress. Actually when we sold our house they asked to keep the
wallpaper in my room up, so I left all of my beloved images on the wall! But I always thought I wanted to work in
magazines, so before I became a stylist I interned at LA Style Magazine and Detour Magazine, neither of which
are around anymore. They were amazing experiences, but they helped me realize that magazine work wasn’t for
me. What I really wanted was to pick out the clothes that women would be wearing, doing shoots and styling
people myself, instead of working with other people’s images. I wanted to have my own say.
FQA: You were doing wardrobe styling for over ten years in L.A. What did you bring from that experience into
the Jennifer Fisher Jewelry line?
JENNIFER: Being a stylist was really about sourcing. Going out and looking for something and finding the right
piece. Now, in the jewelry line, I just make the piece myself instead of sourcing it somewhere else. It’s that idea
of independent thinking. What do you want to wear and what are you looking for? I just create it now instead of
going out and looking for it.
FQA: Jennifer Fisher Jewelry began when you couldn’t find the appropriate piece of jewelry to commemorate
the struggle and the ultimate birth of your first born, Shane. How did that come about though? Did you know
anything about jewelry to begin with? How did you teach yourself about this industry?
JENNIFER: I had no idea. I knew what I was looking for and I knew I couldn’t find it in stores. Like when I was a
stylist, I had to go out and start sourcing. I went up to the jewelry district and started asking around – looking for a
castor that could make the piece for me. It was a search for someone to make my little piece and once I did that
first piece it just snowballed. People started asking me, ‘Where did you get that?’ ‘Can I have one for my child?’
‘Can you make one for me?’ So I started making them for friends and family and it just started to grow.
Jewelry line is a labor of love of sorts. But before you were working in California as a wardrobe stylist and
before coming to New York where your jewelry line came into fruition, what were Jennifer Fisher’s dreams?
What were your dreams before any of this came into play?
JENNIFER FISHER: I always wanted to be a magazine editor. When I was in high-school I would beg my mother to
get me all the European fashion magazine subscriptions. I would get French Vogue and I would take the pages
and the covers and have my whole room wallpapered in images of models and clothing that I thought was
amazing – just how I wanted to look and dress. Actually when we sold our house they asked to keep the
wallpaper in my room up, so I left all of my beloved images on the wall! But I always thought I wanted to work in
magazines, so before I became a stylist I interned at LA Style Magazine and Detour Magazine, neither of which
are around anymore. They were amazing experiences, but they helped me realize that magazine work wasn’t for
me. What I really wanted was to pick out the clothes that women would be wearing, doing shoots and styling
people myself, instead of working with other people’s images. I wanted to have my own say.
FQA: You were doing wardrobe styling for over ten years in L.A. What did you bring from that experience into
the Jennifer Fisher Jewelry line?
JENNIFER: Being a stylist was really about sourcing. Going out and looking for something and finding the right
piece. Now, in the jewelry line, I just make the piece myself instead of sourcing it somewhere else. It’s that idea
of independent thinking. What do you want to wear and what are you looking for? I just create it now instead of
going out and looking for it.
FQA: Jennifer Fisher Jewelry began when you couldn’t find the appropriate piece of jewelry to commemorate
the struggle and the ultimate birth of your first born, Shane. How did that come about though? Did you know
anything about jewelry to begin with? How did you teach yourself about this industry?
JENNIFER: I had no idea. I knew what I was looking for and I knew I couldn’t find it in stores. Like when I was a
stylist, I had to go out and start sourcing. I went up to the jewelry district and started asking around – looking for a
castor that could make the piece for me. It was a search for someone to make my little piece and once I did that
first piece it just snowballed. People started asking me, ‘Where did you get that?’ ‘Can I have one for my child?’
‘Can you make one for me?’ So I started making them for friends and family and it just started to grow.
FQA: And it grew to a line consisting of over 4000 pieces. Do you carry around your trusty designer
notebook with you everywhere? After 4000 pieces I would imagine you’re constantly sketching up fun
designs.
JENNIFER: I have a pad under my keyboard here and I sit here and I draw. I’m constantly drawing on my
squared notebook pad and ripping them off and sending them out to my model-maker who makes the
models and he’s the one that helps me bring my little forms to reality.
FQA: You have a very specific aesthetic. It’s an edgy line, laced throughout with snakes, spiders and
skull rings. It’s a great goth-mommy touch. Can you tell me more about your specific sense of style?
JENNIFER: It’s always been my sense of style. When I was growing up I was always the girl going to the
vintage stores to find things, which I’d cut up and remake and bring to school. But the skulls and the
snakes have always been a love. My father used to collect Indian artifacts when I was younger and we
used to have skulls all over the house. There’s a sort of Native American feel - also, with the Mexican
black letter that I use. I grew up in a very Hispanic town – Santa Barbara, California. I remember seeing
the names of girlfriends tattooed on guys’ backs in Mexican black-letter, and that’s where that came from.
I always wanted that, I’ve always loved the look of that. And the chain links from the cars and on the
steering wheels. That’s sort of where a lot of that comes from. It’s from growing up in Santa Barbara and
all the things that I remember as a child, the things that I was drawn to. And people don’t know that this is
where it comes from. It’s just my life. Growing up in that town, there was a lot of influence and I was
immersed in that culture constantly.
FQA: I know your children are a great source of inspiration for you, but what other elements from your
life really inspire you to do the work you do?
JENNIFER: It’s a lot of women that I see. So many people have jewelry on that makes me realize that truly
unique pieces are hard to come by. There are only so many shapes and so many designs, but I just try to
do it in a way that I would want to wear it or how my friends would like to wear it.
FQA: Whether it’s the line or whether it’s your kids, what is your proudest moment?
JENNIFER: Well, like this morning, when I came home and my daughter was home from school and she
heard the door close and she runs through the house yelling 'Mommy Mommy Mommy.' It’s hard every
day going to work, being a parent and being away from them, but when you get to go home and you see
your family…that’s definitely the most important thing.
notebook with you everywhere? After 4000 pieces I would imagine you’re constantly sketching up fun
designs.
JENNIFER: I have a pad under my keyboard here and I sit here and I draw. I’m constantly drawing on my
squared notebook pad and ripping them off and sending them out to my model-maker who makes the
models and he’s the one that helps me bring my little forms to reality.
FQA: You have a very specific aesthetic. It’s an edgy line, laced throughout with snakes, spiders and
skull rings. It’s a great goth-mommy touch. Can you tell me more about your specific sense of style?
JENNIFER: It’s always been my sense of style. When I was growing up I was always the girl going to the
vintage stores to find things, which I’d cut up and remake and bring to school. But the skulls and the
snakes have always been a love. My father used to collect Indian artifacts when I was younger and we
used to have skulls all over the house. There’s a sort of Native American feel - also, with the Mexican
black letter that I use. I grew up in a very Hispanic town – Santa Barbara, California. I remember seeing
the names of girlfriends tattooed on guys’ backs in Mexican black-letter, and that’s where that came from.
I always wanted that, I’ve always loved the look of that. And the chain links from the cars and on the
steering wheels. That’s sort of where a lot of that comes from. It’s from growing up in Santa Barbara and
all the things that I remember as a child, the things that I was drawn to. And people don’t know that this is
where it comes from. It’s just my life. Growing up in that town, there was a lot of influence and I was
immersed in that culture constantly.
FQA: I know your children are a great source of inspiration for you, but what other elements from your
life really inspire you to do the work you do?
JENNIFER: It’s a lot of women that I see. So many people have jewelry on that makes me realize that truly
unique pieces are hard to come by. There are only so many shapes and so many designs, but I just try to
do it in a way that I would want to wear it or how my friends would like to wear it.
FQA: Whether it’s the line or whether it’s your kids, what is your proudest moment?
JENNIFER: Well, like this morning, when I came home and my daughter was home from school and she
heard the door close and she runs through the house yelling 'Mommy Mommy Mommy.' It’s hard every
day going to work, being a parent and being away from them, but when you get to go home and you see
your family…that’s definitely the most important thing.
FQA: What’s your personal favorite piece of jewelry, whether it’s yours or anybody else’s?
JENNIFER: My favorites are the snakes that I’m doing now. The new snake line. Going through a total snake
thing right now. I got a ring, a snake wedding band and snake mini-cuffs.
FQA: Can we expect to see any more Jennifer Fisher jewelry up on the big screen any time soon?
JENNIFER: Yes it’s going to be in the new Sex and the City movie.
FQA: More Charlotte?
JENNIFER: Lots more Charlotte. Much more Charlotte. We’ve got a lot of Charlotte. Well, we have three of the
girls wearing it. They’re really great supporters. Sarah Jessica Parker has been wearing the jewelry the way
she did in the movie. She has my cuffs, one skinny one on each wrist. Kim Cattrall wore some branch
hoops and the cuffs to the premiere.
FQA: Looking through the collection online, I see that your pendants and charms are personally named.
Where do these names come from?
JENNIFER: Every name is an androgynous name, as are my kids’ names. When I named my kids I didn’t
necessarily want people to know whether my child was a male or female when they heard the name. That’s
how I named all the pieces too. I just didn’t want it to be so mainstream.
FQA: Will you be making more things for men as your line evolves?
JENNIFER: Yes. I actually just started doing studded-collars, tie chains. I’m going to do some more rings – I
just finished making some wedding bands, with some gothic lettering where you can put your wife’s name.
And I’m also working on making some more dog tags. Also working on a keychain, which should be really
great for guys.
JENNIFER: My favorites are the snakes that I’m doing now. The new snake line. Going through a total snake
thing right now. I got a ring, a snake wedding band and snake mini-cuffs.
FQA: Can we expect to see any more Jennifer Fisher jewelry up on the big screen any time soon?
JENNIFER: Yes it’s going to be in the new Sex and the City movie.
FQA: More Charlotte?
JENNIFER: Lots more Charlotte. Much more Charlotte. We’ve got a lot of Charlotte. Well, we have three of the
girls wearing it. They’re really great supporters. Sarah Jessica Parker has been wearing the jewelry the way
she did in the movie. She has my cuffs, one skinny one on each wrist. Kim Cattrall wore some branch
hoops and the cuffs to the premiere.
FQA: Looking through the collection online, I see that your pendants and charms are personally named.
Where do these names come from?
JENNIFER: Every name is an androgynous name, as are my kids’ names. When I named my kids I didn’t
necessarily want people to know whether my child was a male or female when they heard the name. That’s
how I named all the pieces too. I just didn’t want it to be so mainstream.
FQA: Will you be making more things for men as your line evolves?
JENNIFER: Yes. I actually just started doing studded-collars, tie chains. I’m going to do some more rings – I
just finished making some wedding bands, with some gothic lettering where you can put your wife’s name.
And I’m also working on making some more dog tags. Also working on a keychain, which should be really
great for guys.
FQA: I can see in this beautiful showroom of yours that you have a fur collection coming up. Can you tell
me more about that?
my grandmother. She was this crazy, fashionable woman that always had on some sort of fur, even when
living in Los Angeles. I always remembered it. And I’ve always loved fur pieces. It also comes from my father
who used to collect so many Native American pieces when I was a kid. There was always a lot of fur in my
house; it was a part of my life. So when I moved to New York I couldn’t really find anything I liked. Sort of like
the jewelry – it was the same kind of idea. I went to one of the really expensive furriers that all the girls go to
to have a coat made and they just couldn’t get it right. It still looked like my grandmother’s coat and I wanted
to make an updated version of it. So I started making smaller pieces and once again my friends started
saying “Oh my Gosh, please make one for me.” Wyler will be sold in stores starting in the fall of 2010. It is
fur accessories, so it’s vests – not necessarily jackets. I love being able to throw a great accessory piece
over a coat or a dress, and just help to amplify whatever look you have going on.
FQA: That’s very exciting. Well, you definitely knew a lot more about styling and clothes on the body from
your 10 plus years experience when you were working in Los Angeles as a wardrobe stylist. I can
imagine that with all that under your belt, tackling this venture into fur accessories was a much easier
endeavor in the beginning than when you started your jewelry line.
JENNIFER: Definitely. I knew how to fit and design clothes, having to make clothing and costumes for styling.
So with that, it was a really nice, natural progression to start working on the Wyler line.
FQA: I knew that you wouldn’t just do jewelry. There’s a lot of creative power there and I couldn’t help but
wonder if there was any other design venture you wanted to tackle. So it’s nice to see that you’re
working on what is bound to be a great fur collection.
JENNIFER: Yes and knits will be next.
FQA: So there’s just no stopping Jennifer Fisher?
JENNIFER: No. Got to keep working, got to keep growing.
me more about that?
my grandmother. She was this crazy, fashionable woman that always had on some sort of fur, even when
living in Los Angeles. I always remembered it. And I’ve always loved fur pieces. It also comes from my father
who used to collect so many Native American pieces when I was a kid. There was always a lot of fur in my
house; it was a part of my life. So when I moved to New York I couldn’t really find anything I liked. Sort of like
the jewelry – it was the same kind of idea. I went to one of the really expensive furriers that all the girls go to
to have a coat made and they just couldn’t get it right. It still looked like my grandmother’s coat and I wanted
to make an updated version of it. So I started making smaller pieces and once again my friends started
saying “Oh my Gosh, please make one for me.” Wyler will be sold in stores starting in the fall of 2010. It is
fur accessories, so it’s vests – not necessarily jackets. I love being able to throw a great accessory piece
over a coat or a dress, and just help to amplify whatever look you have going on.
FQA: That’s very exciting. Well, you definitely knew a lot more about styling and clothes on the body from
your 10 plus years experience when you were working in Los Angeles as a wardrobe stylist. I can
imagine that with all that under your belt, tackling this venture into fur accessories was a much easier
endeavor in the beginning than when you started your jewelry line.
JENNIFER: Definitely. I knew how to fit and design clothes, having to make clothing and costumes for styling.
So with that, it was a really nice, natural progression to start working on the Wyler line.
FQA: I knew that you wouldn’t just do jewelry. There’s a lot of creative power there and I couldn’t help but
wonder if there was any other design venture you wanted to tackle. So it’s nice to see that you’re
working on what is bound to be a great fur collection.
JENNIFER: Yes and knits will be next.
FQA: So there’s just no stopping Jennifer Fisher?
JENNIFER: No. Got to keep working, got to keep growing.
WYLER
by Jennifer Fisher
by Jennifer Fisher
