Small Talk With: Emily P Wheeler
Emily P. Wheeler’s designs are playful and cheery, very much like the founder of the eponymous label herself. We asked Emily all about her new year’s resolutions for herself, her customers, her brand and how she aims to grow in the new year. Read the exclusive interview at the link below.
Your playful designs are known for their bold use of color and just about every stone in the jewelry world. In what ways are you pushing them even further this year?
The current collection plays a lot with movement. The Barrel Necklace has ombré sapphires, but the pavé sapphire is done onto individual beads that roll on the skin and sparkle when worn. The Fringe pieces are all about movement and feel. Ombré has always been a signature of the collection but instead of a cigar ring showing ombré shades of one color, I am almost painting with the colors more randomly, like with the Candy Sky pieces, inspired by cotton candy sunset skies. The star pieces are unique and new and apply the traditional technique of illusion or puzzle cut diamonds, made popular during the Victorian era, but with colorful stones to create the star shape.
So many of your pieces look great stacked. What sort of styling ideas would you offer a shopper who needs some direction in finding new ways of wearing them?
Some people shy away from color and choose diamond pieces to add last to an outfit. I would urge stylists and shoppers to play against the color in their outfits and wear color with color. For example, an emerald earring looks beautiful with a peach dress. An ombre blue story looks so cool and unexpected with a colorful vintage tee. I save diamonds for my neutral and black outfits but when I am wearing color, I expand it to the jewelry.
Sustainability plays a big part in your brand’s ethos. Aside from what you have already put in place, do you have any specific goals you are working on meeting in the near future?
At the beginning of this year, we started making 100% of our collection in Single Mine Origin gold. Major refineries, where most people get their gold (including "recycled"), take gold from a variety of sources that is impossible to track, so knowing the one mine our product comes from is advantageous. The next step will be doing due diligence on that mine. We are also expanding the materials we are using to reduce the amount of gold we use. We launched silk cord last year and will expand that further this spring. We're also launching reworked vintage soon where I'm taking unsigned, finished vintage/antique jewelry pieces, taking them apart and re-using the bits and pieces to create something new and modern. We work with a sustainability consultant in the industry to ensure we are adopting the right practices as we grow and expand.
What are some of your own personal new year's resolutions as a business owner, designer and woman of the world?
I don't have a specific New Year's resolution but one thing I am very determined to achieve is providing a workplace that allows women to balance their careers and families or personal lives. I don't believe in the 9-5 rule and offer more flexible arrangements that work better for my employees. If and when one of us has a baby, we will take as much time off as we need, work from home as much as we need, that baby will always be welcome in the office and we will provide a nap area. I have a two and a half year-old girl and know how hard it is to balance time with her and work. Traditional work environments and our society as a whole does not accommodate mothers well, let alone mothers who work. I also believe in work-life balance and I hire people I can trust to get the job done while still having full lives outside of work.
Among your offering at Broken English, which are some of your favorite pieces?
The Barrel Necklace is absolutely one of my favorites. The way the beads roll on the skin and twinkle is so beautiful and it's such a great layering piece with our signature tube chain. The turquoise and diamond Oval Hoop is also a favorite of mine that I wear constantly. I have always and will always love turquoise so much and the contrast with the triple row of diamonds is so chic. They are also light and my ears are super sensitive to weight.
