It’s always a thrill to discover hidden gems within Pittsburgh and to meet designers who are simply out there going for it… living the dream, doing what they are MOST passionate about. That takes courage and honestly, as I contemplate doing that myself with Style412 at some point, I couldn’t feel more inclined to just bow down in respect for lion-hearted designers like Jenny Butterfield.

Meeting for coffee with Jenny, she radiated as I talked to her about what she does and who she does it for. To her, making jewelry is about seeing her pieces enjoyed by those that she describes as indestructible women and finding jewelry that women can wear 24/7 and not have to worry about it breaking. This really stuck out to me because as I think about the major difference between being a 20-something and 30+ something, you begin to question practicality and how pieces fit into your life. Quality and durability is not a should, it’s a must.

I was also delighted by her consciousness of being a sustainable brand. She integrates a quarterly process in which she’ll send all of her precious metal scraps back to the facility to be refined, and basically resetting the process back to square one. As the larger conversation about sustainability surrounds the global fashion industry, it feels good knowing that this is already being practiced locally and unlike in other areas where Pittsburgh fashion feels light years behind, we may actually be ahead of the curve here.

For my shoot, I took a few pieces from her Simple Celestials collection for a stroll, layering all of her “halo” pieces into an elegant look for everyday. I could really live and die and in this look.

Of additional note: if you are a Pittsburgh-based jewelry fiend as I am, don’t forget about the upcoming Maker & Muse: Women and Early Twentieth Century Art Jewelry exhibit starting at the Frick Pittsburgh on February 15th. When I think about the series of fashion exhibits that the Frick Pittsburgh has brought in the past years, I feel SPOILED rotten. Moral of the story: don’t forget to support the things you want to see more of. They can’t grow without you. I’ll see you at the preview!

CREDS:

All Jewelry Worn: Jenny Butterfield Designs

Blazer: Joseph

Pants: Enfold

Shoes: Sam Edelman

Location: Trypp Pittsburgh

Photography: Kelley Bedoloto

Make-up: Marquela Crosby