“For what I have received may the Lord make me truly thankful.”
– Storm Jameson
Knowing that my time in Los Angeles is coming to an end makes me feel so many different emotions at once. I’m excited to go home and see all of my friends and family, and of course Buddha and Bear, but I’m so sad to be leaving a place I find so wonderful. Only a few more days left and I will be on my way back home to Alabama for a few weeks then back to Savannah for school. My time in LA has been so amazing and I am so thankful for every moment I have had here. I have learned so much about the fashion/jewelry industry and about myself.
Starting out I was excited and nervous to come here, 30 hours away from home- what if something happened to me or worse someone in my family? What was I going to do then? What would happen if I didn’t come at all? I didn’t like the answers to any of the questions but I knew this was a once in a lifetime chance, a risk I was completely willing and excited to take. I made the right choice. LA has been so much fun and I can’t imagine my life without this experience. I have met so many beautiful people (inside and out) and consider myself very blessed to have them as friends now.
During my time here, as some of you may know, I have been interning mainly in the jewelry department for Kelly Wearstler. I have been working directly for/with the beautiful and talented Mimi Jakobson, she has made my time at KWID unforgettable, and I can only hope and pray that I will have the opportunity to work for/with her again. Our days mainly have consisted of dealing with factories and design work as well as running around all of LA trying to find ridiculous findings for a previous design gone awry. We took a few trips to IGM (International Gems and Minerals) which were always tiring but fun, going through gems and minerals in a vault is always fun (and sparkly!).
Gems from IGM
I also was able to spend a lot of time with Mimi outside of work, hanging out with her and a few of her friends and her cute daughter and my new BFF, Ella. She’s my little cockatoo and I hope I get to see her again soon! She has to be not only one of the cutest but one of the most well behaved two year olds on this planet. We went to a sample sale together in downtown LA, shopping, and have just hung out at her place, I’ve also babysat my little cockatoo a few times. Just love my Ellie May!
Another amazing thing I got to be apart of was Kelly Wearstler’s first ever sample sale! It was mainly fun because I got to know more people who worked for KW better, and getting a few free clothes for working wasn’t such a bad thing either! I was able to get quite a few of really amazing pieces that I can’t wait to wear and show off. Another fun part of working the sample sale was seeing how much everyone was loving the clothes! So many girls and ladies were trying on really beautiful designs and falling in love with them. It wasn’t one type of girl/lady either or one age group there were girls in their teens to woman in their 70s trying on KW’s designs and buying them. There were people who came in who had more of a boho style that found things and people who liked their clothing with a bit of sex appeal and edge and found things as well. It was really amazing to see how each woman young or “experienced” would style the clothes and look in them. Did it make me miss working retail? NO WAY, but it was fun for a weekend.
Recently another intern (and now one of my new BFFs *wink wink*), Tim and I were able to go to Kelly Wearstler’s home in search of a few things. We drove up to the gated home and then to the back yard in awe, then when we went inside KW told us to explore- so we did- like children in a candy store. The house is probably not something most people from home would like, in fact, most of the people I sent pictures to thought it was a bit crazy, but I found it beautiful! It was such a creatively decorated and colorful place to be. It was stunning. With that I’d like to mention its on the market! I don’t want to pictures of the inside on my blog, I’m not sure if KW would be comfortable with that or not but here is a link to an interview with her that shows some beautiful rooms of the house:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ge8tR998aG4
Kelly Wearstler’s House
I am also very grateful for time I was able to spend in NAS Lemoore this summer with my wonderful cousin Brandi and her two girls. I took a few trips to see them and had a blast every time I went. I have always been very appreciative of all the branches of military and what they do for us, but I had never really thought of their families and what they sacrifice and go through everyday that their spouse/father/mother are away. I’m happy to know that they are taken care of while living on base and are able to live so close to people that can relate to what they are going through. They have a really beautiful sense of community and friendship and I feel like every community could really learn from them. So thank you to not only every veteran and military man and woman, but to their families as well- I now have a better understanding of what you go through and you all deserve medals as well!
4th of July at NAS Lemoore with Brandi, Aunt Darlene, Railey, and Layla
Overall my California summer has been pretty close to perfect. I’m excited to go home and continue my summer break with my family and friends and some slow Alabama days but I’m going to miss LA! I can’t wait to see what senior year at SCAD holds for me and hopefully after graduation I end up right back here (just maybe with a paying job and a nicer apartment). LA it’s not goodbye forever, because you will see me again, you can count on it!
robyn kaechele 