Today we’d like to introduce you to Tracey Mayer.
Tracey, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I traveled to India in 1989 and had the pleasure of watching artisans create jewelry by hand. I was so mesmerized by the process and beauty, I knew at that moment, I would do something that would allow me to celebrate this incredible art of marrying centuries-old techniques with a more modern aesthetic, to meet the needs of today’s discerning consumer.
My head is packed with an endless source of creative ideas, so I began translating some of them into women’s jewelry designs- infused with cultural influences acquired while traveling throughout South Asia. The initial collections were moderate-priced sterling silver which was beautiful, however, I felt like something was missing.
I went back overseas and began searching for a production partner who could not only understand my vision for a higher-level of jewelry, with no boundaries but also someone who had the team of artisans capable of producing the goods. It took five years to put my ideal team in place – all the while we began selling on a smaller scale. Once the internal structure was in place, I began applying for juried tradeshows in NYC and Vegas. Took a while to get accepted to the best ones but we finally made it! Right out of the gate it was apparent there was a huge gap of quality men’s silver in the market so we capitalized on that opportunity be adding a men’s collection which ultimately outpaced the women’s by huge margins and became the sole focus of the business.
We grew the brand organically, on a wholesale level, securing many of the finest national and independent specialty stores in the U.S. and Canada – scaling to a multi-million dollar company just prior to the market crash in 2008. When the market crashed, my business crashed right along with it. Although I knew it had nothing to do with me and my team, it was unbelievably devastating watching everything we had built crumble. I had two choices – to feel sorry for myself or dig my heels in and come up with a new plan. I chose #2 and ultimately wrote a new model for a direct-to-consumer platform which is where I felt we could capitalize on offering a value proposition that aligned with consumer needs.
Obviously, the volume of business dropped drastically so I needed to come up with additional ways of generating revenue. I partnered with several of the finest bespoke tailors in the U.S. and layered my jewelry into the lifestyle wardrobes we were building for our clients who were largely C-level execs, entrepreneurs, pro athletes, and entertainment industry professionals. I continue to operate in this manner today however, we are itching to add some women’s pieces to the collection again and are working on the creative initiatives for that now, along with mixing up the men’s collection a bit. You’ll see on the website a gallery of images with a note saying we are moving in a new direction which we are very excited about!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
When I was accepted into the top trade shows, being the newbie, my booth was in the far back corner- the aisle most people did not venture down. $12,000 later with no orders, I would pack up my booth, shed some tears, get over it and keep going. Next show… a bit of attention but no orders because the buyers wanted to see if I was legitimate — would I be able to keep delivering a relative collection each season — would I stay in business. Little by little, we gained some traction – a few small orders – a better booth location — some decent press — ultimately landing us in a prime location and finally getting the attention of the likes of Nordstrom, Fred Segal, and other prominent retailers.
I truly believe one must stumble and fall, hard, to achieve long-term success. The caveat being… do you have the drive, determination, guts, unwavering vision and a bit of crazy to keep showing up and caring enough? Do you learn from your mistakes and make sure they are not repeated? Other entrepreneurs reading this will shake their head in agreement because we are wired in a way conducive to why we do what we do!
We’d love to hear more about your work.
This is some of the copy we’ve used on the website which sums things up quite well in terms of WHY and HOW we do what we do and how we are filling a niche need. We have always made things people want vs trying to make people want things.
We believe luxury is a state of mind – it’s about how you feel,
not about how much you pay.
We believe human hands give objects soul.
We believe in balanced simplicity. Buy fewer; buy better.
We believe in giving back.
This is our idea of luxury.
Designed to evoke pride, Tracey’s clients wear her jewelry to reflect and reinforce their sophistication and self-reliance. Each style becomes alive based on their individual personality.
Many of the pieces have a story behind them, and the man or woman who wears Tracey’s designs is intrigued by this and enjoys sharing the stories with others.
Inspired by the undeniable centuries-old artisan techniques in south Asia, Tracey and her team believe human hands give objects soul. Known for her cutting-edge techniques and innovative metal refinement, Tracey works with 950 silver—a metal higher in purity than sterling, which can only be used for handmade, weightier pieces because it is more tender and therefore difficult to manipulate. It demands the excellence of highly trained artisans, as a slight mistake is much more visible. 18k gold is strategically used for added dimension.
Tracey Mayer jewelry is never mass produced. Many pieces are limited-edition and one-of-a-kind designs- inspired by Tracey’s love for travel. Committed to sustainability, metal is recycled when possible, and items with antiquity value are sought after and reused.
What were you like growing up?
Curious. Creative. Marched to my own beat from a young age. I was shy as a kid and didn’t really come out of my shell until high school. Was a pretty decent athlete and cheerleader. Loved fashion, so my mom taught me how to sew when I was young and sewing was a great way for me to channel my creativity.
I can see now that I was an entrepreneur from a young age. As a teenager, I would gather up the neighbor’s apples, scour the local glass factory for second-hand jars and mix up batches of apple butter that I would sell at the local farmer’s market. My girlfriend did it with me and we sold out every week! Virtually no operating expenses, so great margins! We would also pick wildflowers in the country and sell flower arrangements. At even a younger age, I would buy penny candy and wrap up mystery boxes to sell at my lemonade stand- marking it up .10-.15 and it always sold because people were curious. 🙂
Contact Info:
- Website: www.traceymayer.com
- Phone: 847-217-6647
- Email: info@traceymayer.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetraceymayer/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=tracey%20mayer%20950%20silver
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
