Today we’d like to introduce you to Sandee Zahn.
Sandee, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
In the winter of 2010, my daughter was home for a month from college and after three days of her sitting on the couch watching TV, I told her she needed to figure out something to occupy herself while she was home. We decided to go to a jewelry making store in Highland Park and I was inspired by these rough-cut sapphire beads. I ended up making a few bracelets to take to a holiday party and everyone loved them. All of my friends requested that I make several pieces for them so they would be able to give the bracelets as gifts throughout the holiday season. I became inspired and created my first collection. I brought it into a well-known boutique in Highland Park and they bought the entire collection that day and Shoshanna Lee was born. Before I was Shoshanna Lee, I took care of my children, but before that, I had experience with many things. I was a professional cheerleader in the NFL, a flight attendant, an agent for supermodels with Elite, an interior design assistant, and I always helped my ex-husband with the marketing for our companies while our kids were growing up. I like to think that I took all of these skills that I learned throughout my life and its made me successful in my own business. Shoshanna Lee is all about putting precious and primitive mediums together and that is very telling of my life. I have had a lot of trials, but its made my life more beautiful.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Nothing is ever a smooth road, and if someone tells you it was they aren’t being real. There have been times where I have had to have my entire family working for me in order to get an order out for Nordstrom or Saks off Fifth or I had to order something a number of times before they got it right. However, I like to think that everything happens for a reason and everything will always work out because I’m still here and I still have a business.
Shoshanna Lee – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Shoshanna Lee is a lifestyle jewelry company. We use precious stones with more primitive metals, making us a lot more affordable than companies who are using high-end metal. We specialize in pieces that woman can wear every day and not just for special occasions. We can dress up any t-shirt and jeans, but always make a statement for your black-tie event. I have been fortunate enough to travel to many parts of the world and experience other cultures and have exposure to the unique artistic embodiment of these cultures as well. The places that stand out most for me are my trips to South Africa, China, and India. I still use the pieces I curated on these journeys when I am designing for Shoshanna Lee. This inspiration coupled with the trends of is how I continue to make new and exciting pieces for my collections.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I am most proud of when I am walking down the street or looking in a magazine and I see someone wearing Shoshanna Lee. I always have to take a second to realize that I started this company with a few beads on a string and now it is so much more.
Do you feel like our city is a good place for businesses like yours? If someone was just starting out, would you recommend them starting out here? If not, what can our city do to improve?
I think Chicago is a great place to have a business because we are a very diverse and cultural city. Chicago loves fashion, but we are also all about being comfy. Shoshanna Lee fits in here because we make it easy to dress up your jeans, tees, and sweater for a more put together look. I also think we are a very friendly city, a lot of my success has come from walking into boutiques where I love to shop and showing them my collection. We have a very laid back feel where people still want to make connections with designers face to face as opposed to doing everything online. I have a story to tell and that’s a lot better marketed in person then through an email with a line sheet.
Pricing:
- Most pieces between $75-$300
Contact Info:
- Website: shoshannalee.com
- Phone: 312-848-9395
- Email: sandee@shoshannalee.com
- Instagram: shoshannalee
Image Credit:
Jake Edmondson
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.
