Boutique high-end jewelry line Foundray has quickly become an obsession High-end “Quiet Luxury” set — and celebrities like Taylor Swift and Kaia Gerber — set themselves apart with customizable pieces sold as something to buy for yourself.
While Cartier bracelets and Tiffany diamonds have long been marketed as a gift from a man to a woman, 52-year-old foundry maker Beth Hutchens has carved a significant niche in the more than $200 billion jewelry industry. achieved when he focused on minorities when he started the brand. : Women are buying gifts for themselves.
He told The Post that when he started the company on Lispenard Street downtown about a decade ago, only about 5% of jewelry sales were to people who wanted to wear it, but Hutchence remained steadfast in his vision. Were.
“I thought, OK, well, I guess I’m going to get a pretty small piece of the pie,” she said. Now, “It’s a growing trend, women are buying their own jewellery.”
So much so that Foundre opened its second Manhattan store – on Madison Avenue between 66th and 67th, no less – and also has stores in Miami and Los Angeles.
From the beginning, Hutchence’s goal has been to create designs that feel personal rather than showy markers of luxury.
“Complete collection [when I started] “It was really conceived as a tool for self-discovery and self-expression,” Hutchence said. “I really wanted each piece to be put together in a way that the piece you’re wearing really expresses your story.”
Foundray’s offering includes various attractions – such as $1,650 “Shakti Mini Medal” The $2,9000 “Spark Love Baby Medallion” with the image of a lion holding a small diamond in its mouth or a starburst and nine small diamonds in 18k gold. They can be mixed, matched, and affixed to a variety of chains to create unique, meaningful pieces, like the $13,500 oval link or the $3,950 sister hook, both in 18k yellow gold.
Hutchence was also a visionary when it came to another current fashion trend: quiet luxury, with which the brand is associated.
Foundray pieces are not bright or easily recognizable by the public; They are of relatively low importance due to the intricately designed pendants, which are considered “modern heritage”.
“It’s not worth its weight in gold that we think you’re actually passing on to the next generation,” Hutchens said. “That’s the story behind it.”
She grew up in Brownsville, Texas, and moved to New York at the age of 18 to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology. The city has been key to his and Foundray’s success.
“I would never live anywhere else,” said Hutchence, who calls Brooklyn home. “It gives people opportunities you can’t get anywhere else…the density of population that allows New Yorkers to be so specialized in their area.”
Having access to the Jewelry District – especially in the beginning when Hutchence was putting designs together – was important because it allowed her to ensure that the finished product was turning out exactly as she intended.
Foundray is the second act for Hutchence, who helped launch Rebecca Taylor’s eponymous clothing line in 1996 and served as its CEO for 18 years.
When he started Foundray, he made another upside bet on the brick-and-mortar business and insisted on a storefront, albeit small, on Lispenard Street.
The majority of the company’s sales occur not online but in its brick-and-mortar stores, where customers can try on and learn about pieces before purchasing.
Although Hutchens doesn’t disclose financial details, the company is clearly growing.
In addition to its own stores, the jewelry is available at high-end retailers such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Net-a-Porter, and GOOP. And, Hutchence recently appointed Ruth Somers, former CEO of David Yurman, as its CEO.
The growing brand has grown far beyond its origins.
“When I first opened the store [on Lispenard] My friends would make fun… you opened right next to Gucci. And he meant the fake Gucci bags that are being sold on the corner,” Hutchence recalled.
Today, Foundre’s suburban location is right near Chanel, Loro Piana and other designer shops.
“Now when I say Gucci is our neighbor, it’s really Gucci,” Hutchence said with a laugh.
this is part of the story NYNext, a new editorial series Which highlights innovations as well as leading figures in various industries in New York City.
