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I need serious fashion help. Anyone who knows me well knows that the majority of my closet is made up of greys, navys and blacks- you know, nothing but neutrals. Sure I’ve got pops of color here and there, but I like to keep my style very traditional (I’ll be the first to admit, one could almost say boring). So if I’m wearing jewelry, I tend to stick to simple pieces, nothing too gaudy or flashy.
But then I stumbled upon Michelle DaRin Jewelry. Michelle currently makes her collections entirely by hand out of her vintage 1964 Airstream Trailer, and likes to describe her look as what “Pocahontas goes to Burningman might look like”. Now that’s a look I can get behind!! Bohemian, bold and edgy, people have been absolutely eating it up! This past year alone Michelle sold over 1,400 pieces, and was mentioned not only in local CNY media such Syracuse Women’s Magazine and The Post Standard, but on the Today Show as well. Because of this increased exposure and success, Michelle is looking to move her production into a larger space, to keep up with the demand as well as grow her business in other aspects (for example, offering metalsmithing classes to the local community and expanding into the larger, national market). You heard right, metalsmithing classes. I think that’s a future blog idea in the waiting. Michelle has been searching for a facility that will allow her to keep the integrity of each piece, but not being able to find this in other third-party manufacturers, her new goal is to build her own eco-friendly facility using locally recycled resources, and she needs your help!
Michelle just recently started a Kickstarter campaign to help fund her manufacturing overhaul, and is looking for financial assistance in scaling up her business. Ultimately, Michelle’s jewelry is inspired by a desire to make the world a better place by adding beauty and value, and any monetary assistance will only help benefit this great cause.
As I will be graduating from Syracuse University in a little under a month, and Michelle is a SU graduate herself, the Orange family runs deep, and I would love to see her succeed. What I believe is most admirable about her business is that it was built entirely from scratch, and built as a family affair. As the creative force behind the production of the jewelry, Michelle creates her products, and her husband, James, helps run all other aspects of the business. If the needed funds are raised, Michelle’s sons will also contribute to the business by helping build the new studio. No fear of getting hands dirty runs in this family, and that’s a quality I feel like all too often is lacking in today’s world.
“Whimsical,” “funky,” “brilliant,” “eclectic,” “bold,” “sexy.” What do all these words have in common? These are all adjectives that have been used to describe Michelle’s work. Coming straight from testimonials, Michelle’s work is “jewelry for the bad ass women who are comfortable making a statement,” and “wearable art.” “In a pinch,” Michelle even jokes, some of her pieces “can even double as a self-defense weapon.” Ok. You can’t tell me that at this point you’re not at least curious to learn more. Check out everything she offers, here.
Like what you see? Learn how you can help by visiting Michelle’s kickstarter page. The generous soul that she is, Michelle is even offering various pieces of her beautiful work with a donation. Donate to an incredible business and walk away rocking a new funky piece of jewelry- you can guarantee you’ll be the center of attention at your next party.
In the words of Michelle and her husband, James:
“We are builders, we have built a family, a home and a business; we understand handwork and commitment and failure is not an option.”