babes who bauble

THE RADAR | Jewelry golden girl Chicago jewelry designer Jules Schwanbeck, creator of accessory line Jules, has increased sales by 450 percent in the last year and attracted national attention.

Left: Her designs and studio.

Babes Who Bauble Five local designers prove that, when it comes to creating a successful jewelry business, they’ve got the mettle | By Beth Wilson | Photography by Maia Harms |

It took a stroke of bad luck for two of Chicago’s promising jewelry designers to commit to their calling.

When Jules Schwanbeck, designer of the now rapidly growing accessory line Jules (shopjules.com), encountered a broken elevator at a local trunk show in 2008, she lugged a 60-pound bag of gems and display pieces up and down the stairs. In the process, she injured her spine, endured two concurrent spinal fusion surgeries and tried to maintain the jewelry business she had started on the side. Six months of bed rest later, she reluctantly returned to her lucrative sales job—only to be laid off in three weeks.

“Before I was injured, I was planning my exit,” says Schwanbeck, who won Macy’s Distinction in Design contest in 2006. “But the universe has ways of telling you something. It’s been a rebirth for me.”

Relaunching her business in 2009 with a full-time effort, Schwanbeck created several pieces she sketched while bedridden. “I was in bed during the worst of the economy with boutiques closing,” she says. “It all happened for a good reason and at a perfect time.”

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Today, Schwanbeck is enjoying a sharp rise in business, with her August 2010 sales 450 percent higher than August 2009. Two of her strongest selling necklaces, Cervical Spinal Fusion ($165, worn by Rachael Ray on her show) and Lumbar Spinal Fusion ($245), were even inspired by her own X-rays.

Jewelry designer Susan Wheeler Geraghty, meanwhile, took to crafting her own baubles under label Susan Wheeler Design (susanwheelerdesign.com) after burglars broke into her home and stole all her jewelry. “It was a catalyst for me to design what I wanted,” says Geraghty, who took jewelry classes through the Chicago Park District. After friends and acquaintances flooded her with requests, the mother of three started her own business.

While few of the city’s jewelry designers possess such dramatic lemonadefrom-lemons stories, some of Chicago’s finest craftswomen do possess striking tales of success. Several industry veterans, including Winifred Grace and Sarah McGuire, now operate accessory enterprises with international reach. As the city’s community of designers continues to grow—city officials estimate some 200 accessory designers now call Chicago home—the industry’s homegrown stars, ranging from proven talent to promising newcomers, are sparkling brighter than ever.

Not one to be influenced by trends, McGuire (sarahmcguire.com) maintains the simple, modern aesthetic she introduced with her first collection in 2003. Te sterling silver cuff bracelet ($320) and braille necklace ($165 in silver) that were part of that original collection are still strong sellers.

“It’s easy to wear, it’s not jewelry that you need to change with your outfit,” says McGuire, who counts Tricia Tunstall, owner of the Bucktown continued... boutique p.45, among her most

THE RADAR | NIGHTlIFe

all tHat glitterS Clockwise from left: Sarah Mcguire’s Marquise and Baguette rings; Winifred grace’s Winnie gundeck; materials in her studio; Susan Wheeler everyday diamond Hoops; Frippery’s Cave glam necklace.

in continued growth, signing on with a New York showroom in September, enlisting a publicist and hiring a local web designer. “I used to do everything myself: the marketing, the designing, the selling. I used to photograph all the jewelry,” says Gundeck, whose pieces have been featured in the New York Times Magazine, InStyle and Lucky. “Slowly giving up some of the responsibilities is one of the best decisions I’ve The community of designers continues to grow—more than made,” says the designer, who reports sales have generally 200 accessory designers now call Chicago home—and some grown by 50 percent annually. “I’ve gotten this team together so that everyone is doing what they’re best at.” proven talents are sparkling brighter than ever.

Don’t be fooled by Susan Wheeler Geraghty’s foray into festival jewelry. ffe designer, who was introduced to Perry Farrell and later crafted $25 Lollapalooza dog tag ...continued avid supporters. Tunstall, who says she wears McGuire’s necklaces and $30 Lollapalooza script necklaces, is decidedly upscale. One jewelry every day, recently commissioned the designer to craft a gold visit to her website presents choices ranging from a $7,600 hammered gold medallion necklace with diamonds representing each child and grandchild equestrian-inspired bracelet to $2,400 large diamond hoops. Not all pieces for her parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. McGuire also began producing carry a four-digit price tag, however. She also produces $600 ostrich and a wedding collection, including gold stackable diamond bands, after stingray belts with platinum or 24-Karat gold initial belt buckles, $425 goldcustomers began requesting non-traditional wedding rings. plated initial cuffiinks (featured in InStyle Weddings) and initial necklaces In the process, McGuire has amassed a collection of 60 stores here and beginning at $525 as part of her Love Letter collection. ffe prolific designer abroad that carry her understated jewelry, priced from $84 for silver lily pad boasts 17 collections: “I almost have to stop myself from designing.” Her earrings to just less than $6,000 for a custom diamond ring in 18-Karat gold. work, she says, provides a creative outlet, and adds some sparkle to her busy ffe designer estimates her business is up 35 percent from last year. life raising three children.

McGuire’s strong sense of design comes as no surprise. ffe Chicagoan ffe mother of two young children, interior designer Alison Pickart says is a former graphic designer with a degree from Parsons ffe New School for parenthood helped her to forge a new path into jewelry, launching Frippery Design who worked at Elle Décor and Metropolitan Home.

Collection (fripperycollection.com) in January 2010. While her interior Winnie Gundeck, creator of Winifred Grace (winifredgrace.com), also projects, which she takes on sparingly, can take years to complete and require left a career in graphic design to launch her jewelry line, now available at her to travel extensively, jewelry design provides an immediate creative outlet, 30-40 stores domestically (including Chicago’s p.45 and Hinsdale’s Sweet a source of satisfaction and the opportunity to stay in one place.

William), as well as stores in Canada and Taiwan. ffe designer’s holiday Her statement jewelry, however, is not for the meek. Her top-selling collection takes inspiration from Turkey, India and Northern Africa, and necklace, Betty Rubble in Palm Beach ($1,285), boasts several large, Tat includes leather cufls with brass elements ($100) and black leather band pieces of polished malachite, along with white drusy chalcedony gathered necklaces with crystal, brass, leather and oxidized silver chains ($585). on a leather strap. Although Pickart recognizes that some may question the Incorporating leather, brass and gold-filled elements led to more aflordable feasibility of launching a high-end costume jewelry line now, she believes pieces, an important consideration during this economy, she says. shoppers will respond to her bold designs. “Rather than spend and spend,” Gundeck has also made tactical decisions that she believes will result she says, “they want to find something that sets them apart.”

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