Francis & Philly, the people, are my grandparents. Francis & Philly, the creative idea, is what I’ve been wanting and waiting to do, quite possibly for my whole life.
My paternal grandmother, Phyllis (Philly), used to buy jewelry in bulk in hopes of one day opening a retail shop (which never came to fruition). She’d sometimes give me her extras, or old pieces she no longer wanted. Instead of being a normal kid who would set up a lemonade stand outside of their parents’ home, I was the kid with the jewelry stand out on the sidewalk in front of my mother’s house. I like to think that any ounce of creativity that manifested in me, must've come from her.
My maternal grandfather, Francis, was born in 1910 in New York City, which means he lived through all of my favorite eras. He was a loving, hardworking, funny, WWII veteran, who put his family before all. He was my golden example of what a good human should be like.
In every creative endeavor I've ever been a part of, I've always made it a top priority to try and do it a little differently from everyone else. I enjoy incorporating the stones and metals typically used in fine jewelry, with the designs and wearability of fashion jewelry. In an industry oversaturated with so much of the same, consider going against the grain with Francis & Philly.
