Cabinet of Modern Curiosity: Suite Hazen Interview

Curiosity-evoking, boundless discoveries and uniquely beautiful, Suite Hazen founder Lauren Walker warmly welcomes you to take a virtual exploration of her personal place that houses all of her favourite things, from the eclectic mix of desirable jewellery, niche brands and small luxuries. Source of inspirations comes from her exotic travels and fabulous hotel boutiques around the world, where they house unusual yet intriguing objects. Convinced that there are others out there with the same innate curiosity of self expression and individuality, Lauren created this cabinet of modern curiosities in a contemporary space. Intrigued, I sought to find out more.

1. What is Suite Hazen in a nutshell?

In a nutshell Suite Hazen is a lifestyle gifting suite and was inspired by a love of boutique hotels.  Specialising in uniquely beautiful accessories, apothecary items and other curiosities. All very easily gift-able items perfect for gifting to a loved one or self-gifting and treating yourself! And jewellery is always a welcome gift! It’s about discovering something new and there is also a magazine portion that helps further that idea of discovery through editorial that features great interior and inspiring creative.  That helps to bring the shop and it’s virtual walls to life.

1. What inspired you to come up with the idea in the first place? Who and what influenced you?

The first seed was actually gifting hotels suites found in Hollywood during award season and that coupled with travel and a love of boutique hotels added to the concept. Finally it was about discovering lovely little luxuries along the way i.e jewellery, artisan fragrance. All niche and independent brands and artisanal designers with pieces that have a great story, with a small notion of it feeling like cabinet of modern day curiosities to discover.

I was really also influenced by the idea of stocking and championing evergreen type products not trend lead or seasonal, ones that have that timeless quality. 

3. What is your background career wise? Did it help with setting up Suite Hazen? 

 My background is communications in the fashion industry that included editorial and PR. I used to work in both NYC and London so there were lots of exciting work and life experiences that contributed to where I am today with Suite Hazen.

4. How important is social media to Suite Hazen? How do you utilise it to effectively communicate with your followers? What is your favourite platform and why? 

 Social media is key to presenting your own brand story and speaking directly to the audience. The power of social media is incredible and that coupled with traditional PR is a great recipe we have today. Instagram would be my top platform, I love it for the discovery of other inspiring topics but since I’m in the business of imagery it’s a key channel for us and extra photos that don’t make it on the site can be used on social. But you need to participate in all of them and we have targets we try to hit across FB, Pinterest and Twitter too. All with slightly different goals. 

5. The designers on your website is a versatile mix. How do you select them to keep up with your theme and concept? 

 They are an eclectic mix I must say but they do all makes sense (to me!) they have the common vein of being uniquely beautiful though each with a different complimenting aesthetic.  

6. Does your website layout reflect your personality or the designers you chose?  
Yes it totally does, my goal was for it to not look like the e-commerce designs we have grown to know but add a bit more to the feel than just a catalogue looking e-boutique. The photography with the lifestyle shots and scene scapes are a bit of our calling card. I’m not very conventional so didn’t want conventional product shots and the brands are totally supportive. So we all like to thank our photographer Mike Gannon when we can!

7. What is the most challenging aspect of setting up your own business? And the most fulfilling?  

The most challenging is carrying 100% all responsibility because it is your own but then when customers express their enthusiasm for being turned onto something new that is the best.

8. Do you have a favourite designer/s or piece/s on the website? What stood out for you? 

 I love everything naturally but because you asked this week (because it always changes) I love the wittiness of Alpha Beta’s “Unchain My Art” necklace, Lauren Wolf’s Pearl everything, the rose gold and quartz necklace by Rittuals and the ear cuff by Kadletz.

9. What are your future plans for Suite Hazen? 

 Keep introducing it to other lovers of beautiful things and grow the categories. A pop up shop within a great boutique hotel is in the plan for 2015 so we will see if universe agrees. Plus change the world one gift at a time!

10. Describe Suite Hazen in 3 words.

 Small Luxuries - Lifestyle – Discovery 

 www.suitehazen.com

Also check out her brilliant In Suite Magazine.

On Reflection: Past, Present & Future

 Prior to my discovery of Bande Des Quatres, a boutique jewellery line based in picturesque Montreal, I thought I've seen enough to be inspired by the geometric concept in jewellery design. However with Bande Des Quatres' cutting edge methods and utterly original collections I doubt the journey will ever end. I realise there are an abundance of talented and original independent jewellery designers from across the globe that are just waiting for the opportune moment to be discovered here whether it is by the media, journalists, jewellery lovers and most importantly, the general public, such as myself.

 Therefore I introduce the lovely Erin Wahed, founder and designer of this unique and collaborative collections, which is already causing a stir in the US and Canada. I'd like to delve deeper into her defining memories, the person she is today and how it inspired her collections.

Childhood

Coming home from school everyday, running down to the basement where my mother's studio was and sitting there watching her work. My mother is my collaborator on Bande des Quatres. We design together and she makes all the pieces in our studio in Montreal whereas I manage everything else.

Expectations

I never thought I would get into jewelry. I always loved what my mother did, but never had the patience to sit down at the jewelry bench and create myself. I dabbled a few times trying to learn from her, but I always got frustrated. I had the ideas, but the execution was where I struggled. With my father being a businessman and my mother a jeweler, I was always intrigued by both worlds, but I knew that I never would choose either exclusively, rather I'd find something that included both equally. 

Life before

I was always interested in technology and art as a child, but was also really good at math. I taught myself Adobe Photoshop at 14 years old and I would create these digital collages using images I found on the internet. I picked up a digital camera and began trying to capture the world in the same look and feel as the digital collages I created. From there I found myself attending New York University Tisch School of the Arts in their Photography program.  Macro photography became my style, abstracting the everyday, trying to get closer and closer to the collages I used to create.  Ultimately, when it came time for me to develop my thesis in my 4th year, I had the epiphany that I could finally get back to the digital collages, but this time using my own images. All this to say, I have always had an obsession with geometrics, it is how I see the world. 

How it began

 My visual landscapes, as I called them, were large scale and I was given the lobby of the NYU building to exhibit them at the opening.  I had just seen the Michael Jackson movie "This Is It" and became obsessed with his gold sequin Balmain pants. I needed to have a stand out outfit for the event. I had similar sequin pants made and needed jewelry to go with the outfit that would make just as much of a statement as the pants. My mother and I were on a family vacation and sketched the the Van der Rohe and Moholy-Nagy ring for that very purpose.

 Motivation

The Van der Rohe ring really pushed me to develop the brand and debut the collection of Bande des Quatres. Working with my mother has truly been a gift. I’ve never had a knack for drawing. It’s always ideas for me, so she can read my mind in the sense that I’ll point to something and she’ll know exactly what I’m thinking and how to translate it.  That really works extremely well. It wouldn’t work like that with just anyone. I think you have to have that family bond to be able to do that.

Geometrics

I truly believe my obsession with geometrics is part of my DNA and the way in which I see the world.  Shapes and lines give me this sense of comfort.  When taking photographs I was very focused on composition and color - how shapes, lines and colors spoke to one another. I knew I got the correct composition when it would just "feel right". The same applies when designing pieces for Bande des Quatres - for me it is all about how the shapes and lines speak to one another and sit on the body.

 3 words 

Yes (I have trouble saying no)

Ultimately

Word

The wearer

Women and men of all ages, lovers of art, architecture, design and avant-garde fashion.

 Future

I have big plans to turn Bande des Quatres into a creative agency that connects creative people.  

Thoughts during making process

Is it wearable?

Is it marketable?

Will it catch people's attention?

Does it pay homage to the inspiration?

Randoms

I hated wearing jewelry up until I started Bande des Quatres. I found it very uncomfortable.

I'm a workout fanatic.

Bande des Quatres is my second full time job.

My favorite color is black.

I love kale and avocados.

Hobbies

I love discovering new music and because of that started a Bande des Quatres mix series called BDQ Precious Metals Mix Series. It is a monthly mix series that we release inspired by individual pieces from our jewelry collections. The idea is that every month we select a different musician to create a 45 minute mix. The artist picks a BDQ piece to be inspired by and creates a mix around it. The latest ones are by Atu inspired by our Ando ring and Cosmonaut Grechko and is inspired by our Jessica Earrings.  You can listen here: www.soundcloud.com/bandedesquatres

Struggles

Juggling a full time job and developing Bande des Quatres. 

Truimphs

Juggling a full time job and developing Bande des Quatres.  I am very proud of what I have been able to develop in only 3 years.

Personal style

Comfortable, black, drapey, leather, color accents.

I always design based on what I would personally wear. I mostly wear black clothes that outline my body in an architectural fashion so my body remains hidden and acts as a blank canvas.  This way the jewelry that adorns my ears, wrists and hands are what shines.

 Favourites

I love wearing them all but I have some favorites which I alternate on a daily basis: 

Van der Rohe ring

Artie ring

Aaron ring

Harold knuckle ring

James knuckle ring

Anna knuckle ring

Silvio knuckle ring

Carel ring

Eames bracelet

Eisenman bracelet

Kite bracelet

Inspirational quotes

"By far for me, the most important things' inspiration. As an artist, if you ain't inspired to work, then you start thinking; once you start thinking, you start forcing [art]. It's never good"  -Jay-Z
 
"If a picture is worth a thousand words, then photographers are worth a million" -Tupac Shakur
 
the meaning of a word - to me - is not as exact as the meaning of a color. Color and shapes make a more definite statement than words. -Georgia O'Keeffe, 1976
 
From experiences of one kind or another, shapes and color come to me very clearly - Sometimes I start in very realistic fashion and as I go on from one painting after another of the same thing it becomes simplified till it can be nothing but abstract - but for me it is my reason for painting it I suppose.

-Georgia O'Keeffe, 1957

"Stare it is the way to educate your eye. Stare Listen Pry eavesdrop. Die Knowing Something You are not here long."
-Walker Evans

Visit her website bandedesquatres.com

All Images by www.hugoarturi.com

Erin's photography project erinwahed.com

Hidden gems...

Prior to the launch on 9th July 2013, I had a sneak peek of a new online marketplace Gem Alley that supports and showcases independent and emerging jewellery designers to the world. Without giving too much away, each and every collection has a unique story to tell, are there to inspire and an appreciation of the modern talents we have at our disposal.  

Without much further ado, here are a few selected pieces I've painstakingly picked out, but believe you me, it wasn't easy. There are appropriately 25 independent jewellery designers and over 200 individual pieces ready for launch. However, after previewing the site's interactive content and exciting ideas as opposed to just a 'click and purchase' format, I believe the numbers will grow. I am counting the days...  

Renaissance Rebel II statement bangle by Rosie Sanders

Renaissance Rebel II Pompadour signet ring by Rosie Sanders

Perspex Cuff by Anna Byers

Hexagon ring in silver by Anna Byers

Flooded bangle from the O Collection by Hayley Gerry

Rebellion collection by Majdan Rocks