Posts tagged as Q&a

Some may say that September is a month of switching gears. This is certainly true for us. Instead of dreaming of sunny days at the beach, we have apple-picking, fall-scented candles, football and Frye boots on the brain. 

I mean, how could we not be excited for this transitional month, especially when we have so much exciting stuff planned for Bliss - it involves “fall makeovers” for both our stores (think cashmere sweaters, plush corduroys and wool scarves!), a NYC buying trip, and our first-ever trunkshow with Citizens of Humanity! We’re thrilled (and you should be too), particularly since there will be free giveaways, denim raffles, mountain-high piles of jeans, and our COH sales rep will be in town.

Meet Deena, our super helpful & knowledgeable sales rep from COH. Trust us, she knows her denim! That said, keep reading to find out more about her career at COH, details on her (denim) wardrobe, and other secrets - all pertaining to denim:

First of all, thanks for taking the time to do this Q&A blog with us. For our readers who aren’t as familiar with Citizens of Humanity as we are, can you tell them a little about the company?

Here’s a little history about the brand & our founder, Jerome Dahan. It’s pretty interesting stuff:

Parisian-born Jerome Dahan founded Citizens of Humanity in 2003, but his passion and experience in denim started long before then. In 1981, he discovered his talent for design & took a job with Guess Jeans - a job that would forever change his life. At Guess, he felt like something was missing & made it his goal to one day recreate the market for the next generation of jean wearers; he had a plan for the future of denim.

In 1999, Dahan conceived the idea that became 7 for All Mankind - a brand that would change the industry like only a few brands ever have. Dahan introduced new fits, new denim fabrics, new washes and new finishing techniques (which included Dahan’s signature vintage center crease line that made both a flare and boot leg look slim & sophisticated).

After leaving 7 for All Mankind in 2002, Dahan took the opportunity to fully bring his vision to life with a new brand - Citizens of Humanity! Dahan set his company up for success by bringing in a skilled team & joining forces with his long-time mentor Adriano Goldschmeid (in 2007). Today, he takes great pride in being a brand that is not only about craftsmanship & quality, but also about people and creating a culture that focuses on creativity & inspiration. Made in the U.S., COH jeans have truly changed the denim world with their cutting-edge details, supreme comfort and perfect fit.

“We are all Citizens of Humanity.” - Jerome Dahan

How long have you worked for COH?

I have worked for COH for the past 9 months; however, I had been the showroom fit model for over 2 years and an avid promoter of the brand before that. I still have my first pair of Citizens I bought back in 2007!

Tell us about yourself, including what you do & how you got there.

My days of making jewelry probably started as soon as I could tie a knot.  I was obsessed with making friendship bracelets as a kid - I must have made them for everyone in my family.  Then, as I got a little older, I started making jewelry as a hobby with my mother.  In high school, I even took a few jewelry-making classes and I loved it.  Funny enough though, it wasn’t until I started graduate school studying childhood education that I more seriously got into making wire-wrapped jewelry.  At that time I wanted something fun and relaxing I could do for myself when I was not writing papers.  So, I bought a couple books and taught myself.  I really don’t know how I found time for it, but I think it helped me get through grad school.

Tell us about your jewelry line & your design style.  What do you draw inspiration from?

The inspiration for my jewelry comes from a combination of the natural beauty of Maine, where I spent my childhood, and the vibrancy of living in New York City.  My line reflects this in both the colors and materials that are used.  This collection is full of gold-filled jewelry mixed with hand-cut leather, weaved wool and cashmere yarns, and semi-precious stones.

How would you describe your design aesthetic?

Boho with clean lines yet intricate attention to detail.

Where are your pieces made?

All of the jewelry in my collection is handmade by myself at my home studio in New York City.

What’s the most difficult challenge you’ve faced as a jewelry designer?

Honestly, I’d probably have to say marketing and promotion of my jewelry.  It’s one thing to make a collection, but if no one knows about it nothing is ever going to come of it.

Colorful, eye-catching and unique to our way of life here on the coast of Maine - it’s The ROPES bracelets!  Available in 4 trendy styles (The Portland, The Kennebunk, The Scarborough and The Cape Elizabeth) these items are on high demand in both of our stores - and for good reason! 

The talent behind these highly sought-after bracelets is local Portland designer, Shana Aldrich Ready.  She’s a mom, wife and designer with some serious style up her sleeve (literally!).  And she’s giving Dish readers a closer look into her booming business.   

First of all, congratulations on all your success thus far with The ROPES.  We absolutely love all your designs - and our customers do too!  How did The ROPES get started?
I started making The ROPES by accident actually!  It was about a year and a half ago; we were in the middle of winter and I was playing around with some rope, twine, and string (basically whatever I could get my hands on around the house!).  As many of my close friends know, I’ve always had a love & talent for making friendship bracelets - dating back to my Maine summer camp days!  So I made my first two bracelets and began wearing them all the time.  It didn’t take long before my friends noticed the brightly colored bracelets on my wrists.  My sister-in-law (Tyler Karu Ready) started to REALLY push and encourage me to go around to local stores with my bracelets, and to my surprise, they were a hit!  I still can’t believe how popular they’ve become... and so quickly!

What part of the design process do you like most?
Definitely coming up with new designs & different color combinations!  When something stays the same it does not evolve.  I am constantly searching for 'the next' bracelet, colors and/ or ways to improve my designs.