In 2021 Kendra Scott stepped down as CEO of her eponymous jewelry company, but she has not stopped making waves in the accessories industry. Her company, composed of nearly 98% women, launched its first-ever influencer-designed collaboration this spring. Scott tapped Austin-based influencer Emily Travis of Champagne and Chanel to co-design a capsule bridal collection that debuted in March with a meet and greet at the brand's South Congress flagship store.
"The Kendra Scott team is thrilled to have Emily be our first-ever influencer collaboration. The launch has been an incredible success," says Scott. "We kicked off this collaboration with Emily's meet-and-greet event. It gathered a huge crowd with a line wrapped around the block full of people eager to purchase the new product."
Travis grew up in Houston and began her blog when she was a senior in college at Texas A&M University. Since then, she has also worked with the Kendra Scott brand for several years as an ambassador. When it came time to plan her wedding, Travis wanted to incorporate Scott's jewelry, and that is when the conversation about a collaboration took place. From start to finish, the design process took about a year, and Travis is still in awe that she co-designed jewelry with the Kendra Scott team.
"I wore Kendra Scott throughout college, and if you told me I would get to design a wedding collection with her, there's no way I would have believed it," says Travis.
Travis, who has over one million followers on Instagram, is known for an effortless style she nicknamed "the elevated everyday girl." Her feed is full of try-on hauls where she puts together practical yet chic outfits, which is how she describes her Kendra Scott collection. While designing the bridal line, her main goal was to create versatile pieces that can be worn not only on a wedding day but also afterward. Various classic shapes like emerald and round cut crystals are featured, including dainty drop earrings, tennis bracelets, and necklaces. Named after influential women in Travis' life, each piece of jewelry has a price point between $58 and $148.
During the design process, Scott encouraged Travis to take inspiration from all aspects of her wedding. What came of that advice is a piece they are both proud of - the Cameron Statement Earring. The earring effortlessly transitions from a formal showstopper to a stud with a unique detachable piece for more casual wear.
"Designing this collection with Kendra Scott was an absolute dream. I didn't know what to expect going into this, but the Kendra Scott team was the most welcoming, intelligent, and creative group of people to work with," the newlywed says. "They took every wish I had for a collection and made it a reality."
Every bride needs a maid of honor, and for Travis that person was Houstonian Dede Raad. Although the twosome grew up near each other in the Bayou City, they didn't meet and become friends until seven years ago. Raad stood by Travis' side on one of the biggest days of her life and has a role in the bridal collection, being featured in many marketing photos for the new line. "It was such a special day, and every detail was absolutely stunning, just like her jewelry line. I'm so proud of her for her launch with Kendra," says Raad. "Anything Emily does, she does it with her whole heart, and I think it shows with this collection. I've worked with Kendra Scott for years and have seen what an amazing brand they are. With their philanthropic work, dedication to quality, and customer service, you truly see their brand values, which align perfectly with Emily."
The collaboration between the two Texas brands went so well that Scott has not ruled out another one in the future. "Social media drives today's world, and influencers like Emily are entrepreneurs themselves. We are excited to step into this world and evolve our relationship with influencers for years to come."
As for what is coming up for the Kendra Scott brand, she recently released a Spring 2022 collection and will have a summer collection in stores very soon. Fans can also look forward to her first-ever memoir, Born to Shine: Do Good, Find Your Joy, and Build a Life You Love, which will be released in September and is currently available for presale.
The Kendra Scott team is thrilled to have Emily be our first-ever influencer collaboration. It was a perfect match from the beginning. We were in the process of expanding our bridal variety, and Emily, a brand favorite, knew she wanted to incorporate Kendra Scott somehow for her wedding- the rest was history.
