Jewelry designer, Susan Domelsmith of Dirty Librarian Chains crafts handmade jewelry and elegant accessories out of second market materials from past jewelry factories on the eastern seaboard. Materials dating back to as early as the sixties have found new ways to shine through in Susan’s collections. EcoSalon caught up with Susan to discover more about her craft, upcycling process and made in NYC appeal.

Juliette Donatelli: Your line is produced in New York City?

Susan Domelsmith: Yes, by me.

JD: Do you do all the labor yourself?

SD: Yeah pretty much. I have a few assistants that come in and I teach them as well. It’s like continuing the manufacturing process and trying to keep it here.

But I also work with materials that were primarily made in the United States. I shop at factories that have shut down in Providence Rhode Island, and components from the sixties to the eighties. Second market

JD: Are all of those factories closed down now?

SD: A lot of the production has moved overseas since primarily the mass market stuff is made in China now. But I feel like there is a resurgence where people are starting to care more where their products are made and who makes them. So I feel like there are some new ones that are opening back up.

JD: When bring your handmade jewelry to a buyer or the larger public, and they find out it is made in NYC, is that an appeal to them?

SD: Yes definitely. I do a lot of markets where I am selling straight to the customer and they definitely love meeting the maker and knowing there is a nice person who made the jewelry, infusing it with good energy, rather than someone being forced into this kind of way to make a living. Which you know, some people still have to do in other parts of the world.

If they can identify with the way of life of the maker then I think that’s nice for the customer.

JD: Are more jewelers using reclaimed materials?

SD: Yes. When I first started — I’ve had my line for almost ten years — so when I first started I saw that was not really something people were doing. But it has definitely become more of a common way of designing and producing jewelry. I am really happy a lot more people are taking the more environmentally conscious route, because then it takes all the chemicals that are involved in plating and the mining of the materials as well — it takes that out of the equation, and it is still nice things that are beautiful to wear. So I am happy that that’s becoming more of a movement.

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images from the brand

The post Second Market Sophistication: Handmade Jewelry by Susan Domelsmith of Dirty Librarian Chains appeared first on EcoSalon.

Reading is sexy. It expands our minds and imaginations, gets our neurons firing, and come on, who doesn’t love a good story? Bookworms and librarians have always had their own style, and in these days of e-readers and screen-skimming, the staid, page-turning of a tome is the ultimate in luxury. Of course, eco fashion designers know that smart style is sexy, so there’s plenty of stacks’ sartorial choices to be found—if you know where to look. 

Pelican Blazer by Feral Childe

Every woman needs a smart blazer, and the dynamic design duo of Alice Wu and Moriah Carlson who together design the Feral Childe label), know smart clothing. The tailored, sharp simplicity of this piece is just what we mean when we talk about smart style. Wear it over jeans and a white tee or to a business meeting over some killer trousers; either way it’s an investment piece you’ll never get tired of styling. Made in NYC’s Garment Center.

Feral Childe, $425 

Pocket Silk Dress by Isabell de Hillerin

Clean and modest on top, but playful on the bottom, this Isabell de Hillerin dress is for all occasions. Plus, the back’s keyhole feature is a sexy surprise.  Made from fine handwoven organic silk in Berlin, Germany.

A Boy Named Sue, on sale for $350

Jett Classic by Modern Vice

The relatively new brand Modern Vice is making comfortable shoes in one of Manhattan’s only shoe factories. Designed by the stylish sisters Natalie and Dylana Suare (in a collab with Modern Vice), the Jett Classic in Oxblood is certainly a fall staple that will last for many seasons to come.

Modern Vice, $398

Stacks Necklace by Dirty Librarian Chains

Made from salvaged vintage pieces from a shuttered jewelry factory in the Northeastern US, it wouldn’t be an ode to reading without a nod to Dirty Librarian Chains. This necklace is part delicate part grunge, part rebel with a cause—but all class.

Dirty Librarian Chains, $175

Cruisin’ No194 by VuerichB. 

I love the two-tone detail of VuerichB.’s Cruisin’ sunglasses, especially with the fun detail that these sunglasses are made from recycled skateboard maple wood. Who woulda thunk! These upcycled, stylish shades are handmade in Barcelona.

Mahonki, 295 Euros

Want more On Trend? See Also:

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Geometric Fashion Jungle: 7 Ways to Wear it On Trend

images from the brand, collage by Juliette Donatelli

The post Smart Style For Bookworms and Sexy Librarians: On Trend appeared first on EcoSalon.