Mother's Day is coming up and I'm thrilled. Not only do I love celebrating with my two children, but I especially love to find the excuse to celebrate this special day with one of my favorite humans and the source of pretty much all I have learned, from life to fashion: my mother, Debby Leach.
I always go first to my mother for advice, even my friends go to my mother for advice! She is an amazing listener and has a way of asking the right questions to help you solve your issues, both personal and professional. Mom has wisdom on pretty much every subject- she is the smartest woman I know. She was both a math major and art major in college; she has a sharp artistic eye with a calculated, organized way of going about things. She is a rarity in that sense.
Mom was a jewelry designer and is still a successful interior designer. With her personal style and her with interior design, she has this incredible ability to combine patterns, colors and textures to be super fun but never overboard. She can wear super bright colors and 6 giant necklaces and still come off sort of understated and cool. She is a "quality over quantity" shopper but that doesn't mean she won't wear a pair of $20 sandals she found at Target- but she will pair them with a gorgeous dress from Marni. Balance is her key.
My mother is a mix of modern and classic. She is a stickler for etiquette and grammar and making sure you everyone's shirts are tucked in at the country club, but then she likes to surprise her grandchildren by jumping into the lake with all her clothes on and she loves to push the envelope when it comes to fashion. This balance is what has helped me to create my jewelry designs. I want my designs to be fun and original but have a classic, timeless feel.
Every time I draw a design I ask, "Would Mom wear this?". If the answer is "no", I scrap the design. My mother has been exposed to more jewelry than you can imagine, as a designer herself and as the wife of a jewelry manufacturer- traveling the globe going to zillions of trade shows analyzing jewelry. This is why I am beyond flattered that she is always wearing some combination of my designs.
Thank you, Mom for continuing to inspire me daily, both personally and creatively.
