Once in awhile you find a line that knocks you over with its originality, power and beauty. I have felt this way about Feathered Soul since the first time I saw it at Barneys and on my friend and showroom owner, Jenny Chase. I jumped at the chance to finally meet Marganne Town, the Designer and Owner of Feathered Soul at Form Show in New York, a unique trade show for directional, high-end clothing and accessories. She graciously agreed to a Style Spotlight interview with RLS.
Marganne Town, Feathered Soul Designer and Owner
Lani: Welcome to the blog and your Style Spotlight interview. We are big fans here at RLS! Please tell our readers about what you do.
Marganne: Jewelry design became a way for me to resource myself in my life. I was always drawn to symbolic imagery and vintage enamel religious medals. They helped me connect to my spirit and to take care of myself though protection pieces. Similar to you, I want to be of service, which can be a challenge in the fashion business. This helps me create a larger purpose in my work. I have found a connection to my own spiritual path, being of service to others, and being a jewelry designer.
Lani: How did you start your business?
Marganne: I first made clothing, which became too much when my son was born. I started doing bags because they were smaller. One day I found a necklace I wanted but that was too expensive for me so I found the materials I needed to make it myself and was able to make it for a fraction of the price. I started selling to friends and then at farmers markets when we moved back from Spain. Farmers markets are an amazing place to start a business because it is immediate. You can make things then see the reaction from the customer immediately. I did this for 10 years, which was lucrative for me. Then I met Jenny Chase and signed on to be in her showroom about 5 years ago.
Lani: What was the turning point for your business?
Marganne: First, meeting Jenny Chase, the owner of the showroom which represents Feathered Soul. Secondly, getting into Barneys in 2012. They are a great collaborative partner and provide me with incredible visibility.
Lani: What is your first memory of being truly, madly, deeply interested in fashion?
Marganne: When I was seven and got my first pony I would sit around and sketch the blankets that I wanted on my horses. I would draw blankets with tassels hanging off of them. I grew up in the San Fernando Valley when it was just mountains.
Lani: That sounds amazing! What advice would you give someone looking to start a jewelry business?
Marganne: Learn how to listen to that little voice inside you which is trying to guide you. It will point you in the right direction. Spirit is always trying to talk to us and guide us to stay on our path and journey. Fear is all that prevents us from hearing it. Make something and sell it, there is nothing to wait for.
Lani: I couldn’t agree more! That is what I always tell people looking to get into the styling business. Just go out there and start doing it! Thank you for your time and wise words, Marganne.
