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“We’re two of a kind,” said Margaret. “I mean Margaret Ellis Jewelry and Joseph, and I also mean Margaret and Shirley,” referring to Shirley Wexner, co-founder of Joseph who bought the first Margaret Ellis items the Joseph stores carried. |
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“We appreciate the same things, in fashion and in life. You walk into Joseph and know instantly that you’re in a special place – and that you feel special in it. What Joseph does with atmos-phere, attention to detail and meticulous selection is exactly what I try to do with design, craftsmanship and
beautiful materials. I strive to create unique jewelry that makes the person who wears it feel unique. And I think that's the opposite of trendy ” |
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Shirley Wexner explained it this way: “Our customers are the reason Joseph exists and we make sure they know it. And when you put on the right piece of Margaret’s jewelry, you feel that you’re the reason it exists – that it was made for you. It’s the same idea.” |
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| “Margaret is an artist,” she continued. "There aren’t that many designers nowadays who can bring in new looks and maintain continuity over the years. The look is so special that our customers keep augmenting their collections while still wearing what they bought in 1985.” |
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All of which led naturally to the question of how a jewelry designer can keep introducing new looks year after year while still maintaining a distinct stylistic identity. Margaret sounded as though she thought the answer obvious. |
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“What matters is style,” she said, “Style, craftsmanship and materials. As far as style is concerned, I’m interested in how jewelry wears on the body – I don’t like jewelry that’s hard to wear. I rarely like big and never gaudy. I do like presence, but presence must be elegant. |
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“And I’m not drawn to what I call ‘jewelry store jewelry,’ items that are cast from molds. I want to see the hand of the craftsman on the ring or bracelet or whatever, the hand that makes the design come to life. |
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| “Which leads to the materials you use. They must be beautiful in themselves and must work with a particular design. And they have to be worked into that design by a craftsperson who understands the vision behind it. " |
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| Margaret picked up another necklace, one she calls the the Chip Cluster – the chips being sterling silver leaf-like forms textured to what Margaret calls a 'beach sand' surface. |
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“But the main thing," she went on "is that you can’t consider these things separately. Style, craftsmanship and materials have to all come together in one piece, because you can’t even conceive of them – at least I can't – independently of each other. It's when you bring everything together into that unity that you've got a thing of beauty. |
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“It’s like a store, where you bring together brilliant fashion in a delightful setting with superb customer service. And I guess that’s when you've got Joseph.” |
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