Look Book

52 | thejewelrybook.com caption Q: Susan, what were you doing before you found your passion for jewelry design? A: In the late 80's, I was working at a graphic design studio in LA, and on a whim, I began decorating tennis shoes with stones, rhinestones and more. Friends and colleagues loved them, so I developed a little side hustle selling my creations. I put it aside after I moved back to Minneapolis, but the spark was there, and in 2008 I started designing jewelry as a creative outlet for myself. Whenever Susan wore her necklaces in public she would be asked, "where did you get that?", and she began to attract a local clientele who coveted her one-of- a-kind pieces. at's how SHE was born. Q: Susan, what were you doing before you found your passion for jewelry design? A: In the late 80's, I was working at a graphic design studio in LA, and on a whim, I began decorating tennis shoes with stones, rhinestones and more. Friends and colleagues loved them, so I developed a little side hustle selling my creations. I put it aside after I moved back to Minneapolis, but the spark was there, and in 2008 I started designing jewelry as a creative outlet for myself. Whenever Susan wore her necklaces in public she would be asked, "where did you get that?", and she began to attract a local clientele who coveted her one-of- a-kind pieces. at's how SHE was born. We love to discover up and coming talent and celebrate their creativity. Recently we met Susan Horowitz, a jewelry designer based in Minneapolis, MN whose statement pieces are getting attention on runways near and far. Susan's foray into jewelry design had unintended consequences. Never did she imagine her jewelry would make it to the stage during New York Fashion Week! But that's exactly what happened. Q: How did you make the leap (or pirouette?) from artisan to business owner? A: A local producer of fashion events had seen my work and he wanted to use some of my pieces in a runway show here in Minneapolis. He showed my jewelry to a fashion designer, Nyamal BothDol, originally from Ethiopia, whose Nubi Collection refl ects the bold and colorful designs of her culture. She immediately chose some of my dramatic statement necklaces to complement her designs for her upcoming New York Fashion Week show. I was thrilled, of course, but I thought, I'm not letting her take my jewelry – I'm going too! It was very last minute … I had two weeks to prepare. It was so exciting to be in New York during Fashion Week, I was pinching myself. by Lanny Udell getting to know ... Susan Horowitz Summer 2023 | Editorial

• Cover