How a Mother’s Love Launched a Jewelry Legacy
With Mother’s Day upon us, I couldn’t think of a better time to kick off my blog — and (finally) share my own story with you. It’s a story about how Rachel Reinhardt Jewelry was born. And how a mother’s love enabled it to grow and become the brand it is today.
It all started with a serendipitous trip to Bergdorf Goodman in New York City. Like most mothers and daughters, my mom and I bonded over shopping for beautiful things. As we explored the jewelry department, I stumbled across one show-stopping necklace — a piece that would change both of our lives forever.
I still get tongue-tied trying to describe its grandeur. Imagine a thick choker accented with clear Swarovski crystals, bronze faceted beads, and Aurora Borealis teardrops. For the ultimate feminine touch, it tied in the back with a silk ribbon.
I swooned and I swayed. Then I looked at the price tag.
Six hundred dollars.
My mom didn’t miss a beat. She exclaimed, “I can make that necklace for you!”
When she said those words, something stirred deep within.
You see, my mom was an accomplished painter, sculptor, and fashion visionary, capable of making red-carpet couture out of a potato sack. But as a child, I too had a creative spark. I would sit for hours making jewelry out of my grandma’s vintage button collection. Although I didn’t believe so at the time, I believe now that jewelry-making was actually in our blood.
Back to my Bergdorf story...after our shopping trip, we headed to the bead store, where my mom equipped herself with everything she needed to make my dream necklace — at a fraction of the cost of the Bergdorf choker. She used her artistic sleight of hand to create a magical necklace that made me swoon just as much as the original piece she modeled it after.
But she didn’t stop there. We started making more jewelry. Together.
With my background in sales and marketing and her background as a painter, our energies collided into a force that not only made exquisitely crafted jewelry, but also made good business sense. When women stopped dead in their tracks to ask me where I got my handmade necklace, I knew we were on to something amazing.
Our first big account was a Henri Bendel trunk show. The jewelry was a smash hit. We sold every piece! More accounts soon rolled in, along with a website launch and features in In Style, Glamour, and O magazine, as well as countless others.
As a business, Rachel Reinhardt has been creating wearable treasures for women for 24 years. And it all started with a mother’s vision.
My mom not only placed an audacious vision in my head, but also an incredible dream in my heart. And that’s exactly what her spirit — embodied in every piece of Rachel Reinhardt Jewelry — continues to do for women.
Maybe my mom always knew it was my destiny to make a business out of making jewelry. I’ll never know for sure. But I do know, because of her intuition, love, and guidance, I ended up in the right place.
My jewelry collection is filled with pieces that make you dream about what’s possible for your own lives. Although my mother passed away just two years after launching our business, I can feel her spirit beckoning me onward and can see her artistic influence in every creation. She created a space in which I could shine bright, and a beautiful legacy that I can pass on to my daughters. That’s love.
At the very least, I hope this story gives you a glimpse into how Rachel Reinhardt Jewelry came to be. And, who knows? Maybe it will inspire you to launch a business with your mom. Either way, cherish her. Today and every day.