In the fashion world, September is billed as “Back to School” season, the time to think about cooler temperatures, fall clothes and accessories like jewelry. I can definitely help with that, but today I have something else on my mind: September is a great month to rebrand my business.
I started my company in 1991, naming it “Uncommon Threads” to reflect my passion for working fiber techniques in precious metal. At the time, the name was a perfect fit. Having recently graduated with my BFA, I was deep in the thick of intellectualizing my art, justifying my creative output with long sentences full of unpronounceable words to tell a story that should be evident just by looking at the art. *
(* As a side note: I’m not the only artist ever tongue-tied when trying to explain my work. See, “Writing about art is like dancing about architecture.”)
One evening, I was brainstorming around the kitchen table with people who really knew and understood me. They knew that I had been making things out of fabric and yarn, like sock puppets and homemade Halloween costumes, since I was a toddler. They knew that I dreamed of becoming a fashion designer who took a left turn into jewelry. As we talked, we began to pull the thread (pun intended) that had led me in that artistic direction.
My grandmother, Ann Rothman, had been widely known in the Saint Louis retail world of yesteryear. For years, she worked at Stix, Baer & Fuller, one of St Louis’ original department stores, building genuine relationships with generations of customers. She was a warm and comforting presence to many beyond our family.
Years earlier, when St Louis was in its heyday as a leading US garment center, Grandma Ann had been a milliner. In addition to her hat making skills, Grandma Ann’s talents included sewing, knitting, and crocheting. Many years and much love later, my brother and I came along. We loved visiting my grandparents at their U City house. I could always count on eating Grandma's butter-laden grilled cheese sandwiches in the kitchen, and Steve knew he’d make more silly reel-to-reel tape recordings with Grandpa Morris in his makeshift basement recording studio. And in our quieter moments, Grandma and I would sit together on the stairs, where she showed me how to stitch silk threads with a tiny metal needle, knit fuzzy yarn with two longer ones, and hook one precise loop through another to crochet a fabric chain, the two of us wrapped in a tight bubble of love. Brainstorming around the table that night, I realized that my embrace of fiber techniques in metal was a celebration of my grandmother, Ann. “Uncommon Threads,” was born.
Thirty-five years later, I still celebrate her through those techniques worked in precious metal. But now, I explore other metalsmithing techniques in my work: I hammer the surface of the metal, creating a bright dimpled surface; I play contrasting metals against each other in linear wire or flat “dots,” to build 3-dimensional visual patterns; and most recently, as I’ve deepened my knowledge in gemology, I’ve begun adding colored gemstones to my designs. My crochet technique will always be part of my design repertoire, but the name Uncommon Threads now feels too limited to tell my whole story.
With all of that said, I invite you, my people, who’ve been with me all along this journey, to my new vision, RC Studio Jewelry.
RC Studio Jewelry, my new identity, is where you’ll continue to find the handmade jewelry pieces you recognize, as well as fresh new ideas. Here is a little bit of what’s coming up:
A new look for the company, more reflective of the personal nature of what I make- handmade jewelry for visionary souls.
An invitation to collaborate with me, easily available through this online booking link. Let’s connect! We’ll build your next important piece of jewelry together.
Ongoing clarity on my stance as an ethical metalsmith, demonstrated through my use of recycled metals and traceable, ethically sourced gemstones (wait 'til you see what’s coming!).
My dedication to supporting charitable organizations, with a special focus on the Epilepsy Foundation, a cause that is deeply personal.
It’s time to lean into my new artistic identity. Thank you for continuing the journey with me.
With gratitude,
-xo
Randi